News

BFA Grants Amrouche Leave of Absence

Jun 24, 2021

GABORONE, Botswana – Following the request by Senior National Team Coach, Adel Amrouche for leave of absence to attend to a personal matter, the Botswana Football Association (BFA) wishes to inform the public that he has been granted the leave with immediate effect.

Since the COSAFA tournament is the last competitive tournament for the Zebras in the immediate future, the BFA amicably resolved to release Amrouche. The affairs of the National team in preparation for the tournament, set to take place in Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa from 7-18 July 2021 shall be handed over to Letang Kgengwenyane.

“The BFA understands and supports Mr. Amrouche’s situation and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours,” said BFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Goabaone G. Taylor.

Amrouche took over as the Zebras head coach in August 2019 on a two-year deal. After weeks of engaging with the coach over his future, an agreement was reached not to extend his contract.

“Amrouche has been Zebras head coach since August 2019, and his leadership during that time was important to our successful development and international exposure of our players,” added Taylor.

“We appreciate all that Amrouche has done to build a disciplined team. He has always had a thorough understanding of what it takes to be a successful team and has done his best to mentor his players accordingly,” concluded Taylor.

Amrouche has since expressed gratitude towards the BFA for the opportunity.
“I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to lead the Zebras over the last two years. I leave having picked up quite a number of valuable lessons that will be necessary in the journey ahead. I wish the Zebras success in future competitions,” Amrouche said in statement recently.

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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.

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South Africa 3–2 Botswana

Botswana 1–1 Zambia

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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.