Magosi bid to stop Popa tonight
The BTC Premiership is back to life after an impromptu FIFA international break, and the league resumes under floodlights tonight with Township Rollers and Mochudi Centre Chiefs locking horns at the National Stadium. Both sides look set to revive the rivalry that has characterised them for many years. While Magosi have been blowing hot and cold over the past football weeks, Popa are in a form of their lives having set the country alight with their recent mind-blowing performances at continental stage. The game kicks off at 19:30hrs.
Going into the match tonight, Magosi harbour hopes of beating Rollers and derailing them from their BTC Premiership crown ambitions while also keeping hopes of a Top 8 spot alive. However, Popa will be kicking and punching every obstacle that tries to block their pathway to a third successive BTC Premiership title. Popa have been going back and forth with tactics and line ups since the suspension of two of their strikers Mothokozisi Msomi and Joel Mogorosi. With the two players missing, Edwin Moalosi will once again be at his talismanic role against Magosi. Having Moalosi upfront is what Mapalastiana Coach Nikola Kavazovic will relish most tonight with the pint-sized attacker’s nimble movement on and off the ball set to spur the blues on to another scintillating performance. He is expected to lead the attack with his ability to find pockets of spaces in defense.
Kavazovic’s tactical awareness and ability to read the game has seen Popa win big games, his ever fresh mind and wide open eyes will be resourceful tonight. Popa are currently on top form and if there is a team that can spoil things for them, it is the black and white outfit they face tonight. Magosi’s strike force of players like Khumoitsile Kufigwa and Tendai Nyamadzawo may have been firing blanks lately, but a game against your fiercest rivals always has a way of giving extra motivation that could see them surprise the favourites in this match. Besides, their strongest point has always been in the midfield from where they could orchestrate moves to frustrate Popa. With Rollers still expected to come down on Magosi like a tonne of bricks, the Magosi coach Innocent Morapedi will need to have all his arrows in his quiver, his defensive mind should be at work, and it is tonight that his tactical instincts should be alive and kicking.As usual the pace of Thatayaone Ramatlapeng and Botshelo Lerato will be key on the wings, targeting to run behind Popa full backs, who enjoy overlapping trips. A loss for Magosi will put their Top 8 ambitions at risk while a stumble by Popa could see them face a sterner challenge from the likes of Jwaneng Galaxy going forward.