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Botswana thrash U-20s 3-0, qualify for semis

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(At Molepolole Stadium)

Courtesy of Metropolitan Swaziland

Swaziland......................................(0) 0

Botswana......................................(0) 3.

Mathews 55th, Unobatsha 72nd, Langa 84th

GABORONE – The tactically superior Botswana’s National U – 20 squad beat the local side 3 – 0 to qualify for the semi finals of the Metropolitan COSAFA Under – 20 Youth Championship at Molopolole Stadium yesterday.

The defeat by the local side hit hard on Mozambique, hard as it denied them a ticket to the semi finals on goals advantage to Botswana. Going into the match Mozambique was leading the group by four points after playing a goalless draw with the host and beating Swaziland 1 – 3 on Sunday.   The host team started the game on a right footing going all out searching for an early goal that never came as the opposition goalkeeper Bheka Christie was at his best in the last line of Swaziland defence. However, the good work in the second half was watered down by his below par performance in the second half, more especially in the second goal. The Mbabane Highlanders third choice goal-minder gifted the opposition striker Unobatsha Mbaiwa a goal after miscalculating long range harmless aerial ball that the striker scored into the empty net for the host second goal.

Botswana had opened the scoring account through Mathews Moruti ten minutes into the second half after he finished off a low cross by the impressive second half substitute Langa Mabuli. The second goal took the game far from reach for the local side as the opposition was gaining momentum on the attack in search for the third goal that was to guarantee them a place in the semi finals ahead of Mozambique. Their efforts paid off in the 84th minute after  Mabuli received a clever pass unmarked from Kabelo Seakanyeng to let fly a rocket shot that left Christie stranded between the poles with the over 500 ‘Young Zebras’ supporters wild in celebration. 

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