Development

Botswana Boys National U/17 Team Selection Underway

Apr 23, 2021

The Botswana Boys National U-17 football Technical Team led by coach, Tebogo Mokute has started the process of rebuilding a formidable squad ahead of the upcoming African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 games slated for Lesotho in December 2021.

The first 35 players of the 70 players earmarked by Mokute reported for camp today (Friday, 23rd April 2021) at Lekidi Football Centre in Gaborone. Mokute looks to form a solid team as most of the 2020 U-17 players have morphed into the national U-20 team.

Health officials at BFA headquarters, Lekidi Football Centre in Gaborone

The 35 players are from the southern regions and are expected to spend three days with the technical team, who have an arduous task of selecting the best players from the copious group.

Prior to today’s camp, all players were tested for COVID-19 and results are expected later today.

On Tuesday, 27 April 2021, coach Mokute will welcome yet another batch of 35 players from the Northern regions who will subsequently spend three days undergoing a rigorous selection process.

Following the final selection, Mokute will then hold a two-weeks camp and start working on building a solid team to represent Botswana at the upcoming tournaments and other regional games.

“All the players who were part of the U-17 have graduated, so basically the 70 players selected is to help us get good players from this pool and prepare a team for the Region 5/COSAFA tournament in December and we are also eyeing the next U-17 AFCON finals. Even the age group of the players is based on the criterion of these tournaments respectively,” said Mokute.

The first five days will see the technical team selecting a strong side who will then go into a full camp to find rhythm in the squad.

Health officials at BFA headquarters, Lekidi Football Centre in Gaborone

Mokute also highlighted that the 70 players invited for selection are from the Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA) and Botswana Primary School Association (BOPSA) structures, including the Elite youth league structures.

Health officials at BFA headquarters, Lekidi Football Centre in Gaborone
Health officials at BFA headquarters, Lekidi Football Centre in Gaborone

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The Mares Display Heart In Tri Nations Challenge

Botswana’s senior women’s national football team recently concluded their campaign in the prestigious Three Nations Challenge, hosted by South Africa from 28 May to 3 June at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. The series saw spirited competition between Botswana, South Africa, and Zambia, as teams continued their preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers.

Despite narrowly missing out on the top prize, Botswana showed immense character and growth throughout the tournament. The Mares kicked off their campaign with a thrilling encounter against the African champions South Africa, narrowly going down 3-2 in a tightly contested match. The team bounced back with a determined performance against Zambia, securing a 1-1 draw and demonstrating resilience and tactical discipline.

Final Tournament Results:

South Africa 3–2 Botswana

Botswana 1–1 Zambia

South Africa 2–0 Zambia

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana were ultimately crowned champions of the series, winning both of their matches to take the top spot. The tournament offered valuable game time and experience for all participating nations, and Botswana’s technical team, led by Head Coach Alex Malete, will take key insights from these fixtures as they refine the squad for the crucial WAFCON fianals.