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Chiefs Escape By A Whisker |
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Chico Has Assembled A Strong Gunners. The high riding Mochudi Centre Chiefs sneaked into the semi finals
 of the on going coca cola cup tournament after they narrowly beat Extension Gunners in a breath taking penalties after an end to end game at the national stadium on Sunday.
The Lobatse giants under former Chiefs coach Chico Daniel Nare gave the Kgatleng side a tough game since they started dominating local soccer last season.
Chiefs finished the league with unbeaten record of 30 games. So far they have won three coke games making the official unbeaten record to stand at 33 games.
Chiefs captain Pontsho Moloi nearly spoiled his team’s unbeaten run when he missed the final penalty that could have wrapped the game. His miss did not go well as his team’s treasurer fainted upon the miss. Gazette Sport wishes him well.
Noah Maposa came to Chiefs’ rescue when he saved Kemmy Pilato’s penalty, which could have seen Centre Chiefs bow out of the Cup and taste defeat for the first time. Pilato’s miss took the game to sudden death.
Michael Mogaladi became the hero of the day when he scored his penalty and Gunners Kgololo Leteane missed the last penalty which could have kept Gunners in the game.
Gunners coach should be credited, his team exhibited the necessary fighting spirit throughout the game.
The Peleng boys dominated the entire game but failed to convert chances that could have given them a ticket in the semi finals. Chiefs’ major undoing was the absence of their versatile middle fielder Elijah Phiriepa.
The stocky Phiriepa does most of the work and combines well with Oteng Moalosi who most of the time supplies his strikers with killer passes that are easy to convert.
Chiefs was the first to find the back of the net from a Moalosi header after a well taken free kick from Pontsho Moloi. Magosi supporters who thronged the stadium were convinced that their team was on an uncompromising mission to finish the game within 90 minutes.
It was not long when Gunners top man Monametsi “Sunday” Kelebale converted from a header after Chiefs defenders failed to cut the Othusitse Mmipi cross from the left flank.
With the score level at 1-1, the game became tense for both teams as they had 50/50 chance of extending their lead. From the two stands of Pandamatenga and Chiefs north stand one could tell that the game meant a lot for both teams. The game went for recess with the two teams level.
From halftime break former Gunners player Tshepo “Talk-Talk” Motlhabankwe who was playing on the right flank, played a difficult second half because of the booing that came from his former die-hards at Pandamatenga stand.
Extension Gunners continued displaying their beautiful football in the second half but Chiefs were equal to the task with Michael Mogaladi doing the spade work in front of the back four and making it hard for Powell Abednico to execute his usual telling passes to his strikers.
Ofentse “Schalwyk” Mmipi should have wrapped the game for Mapantsula but wasted a clear cut chance when he ran into a through ball with goal keeper Maposa caught off guard.
After the game when contacted for comment Chiefs mentor Beston Chambesi commended Gunners for staging a tough battle. He said his boys played well. “Gunners gave us a good run and I respect my players for the hard work,” said the overjoyed coach. He said he did not undermine Gunners as they are in the same league. When asked whether he will win the tournament he said his plan is concentrating on the next game not the finals.
His counterpart Chico Nare said he was disappointed that they have lost but everything went according to plan. “We had a good plan to close Tshepho Motlhabankwe and Othusitse Pilane and contain Pontsho and it worked. Our game plan was very sound,” explained Nare.
The two giants are expected to go to each others’ neck when the new season starts in two weeks time.
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