Morena Ramoreboli’s Jwaneng Galaxy got off to a winning start with a convincing 2-0 victory over Holy Ghost Sporting Club on Sunday at the VTM Arena.
Goals from Gilbert Baruti and Daniel Msendami were enough to secure an important victory on the road for Ramoreboli’s charges.
Baruti opened the scoring in the 30th minute after his well taken free kick went past the helpless Holy Ghost goalkeeper Katlego Mbise.
Jwaneng Galaxy then put on a controlled performance as they kept their slender lead intact for a majority of the game. Galaxy then killed any hopes of an equalizer for Holy Ghost in the 85th minute as Daniel Msendami put the game to bed.
The defending Botswana Premier League champions knew that facing Holy Ghost presented a potential banana skin for them given the fact that their opponents are unpredictable.
Galaxy will face Nico United in their next league game. The 2-0 victory was crucial as Galaxy’s main rivals Township Rollers and Gaborone United were also in action on the opening day of the new league season.
Rollers won 2-0 against Masitaoka FC while GU drew 0-0 against Nico United. Although the season is in its early stages, any slip up would have an unwanted start to a new season.
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CAF Assignment
Morena Ramoreboli’s side secured their passage to the CAF Champions League group stage where they have been placed in Group B alongside Wydad AC of Morocco, Tanzanian club Simba SC and Ivorian side Asec Mimosas. Competing against experienced campaigners at CAF level will give the club a chance to gauge their progress as a continental force while also giving the club a guaranteed US$500 000 prize money which is given to group stage participants even if they do not advance past the group stage.
Coach of the Year snub
Ramoreboli was nominated for the Coach of the Year award at the inaugural Botswana Football Association (BFA) Awards last Saturday. He lost out on the award as it was grabbed by Eleven Angels coach Seemo Mpatane. The award was given via a voting system and Mpatane garnered the most votes in the category.