Morena Ramoreboli’s Jwaneng Galaxy has now set a unique CAF Champions League record for Botswana clubs after eliminating Orlando Pirates.
The Jwaneng club is the only Botswana club to reach the Champions League group stage twice, one more than the next-best club in that regard.
Although the elimination of Pirates is largely viewed as a shock result, it further demonstrated that Ramoreboli is the scourge of the Soweto club having caused a major upset against them in the past.
WHAT UNIQUE BOTSWANA RECORD DID MORENA RAMOREBOLI SET?
The first Botswana club to reach the CAF Champions League group stage was Township Rollers in the 2017/18 season under Serbian coach Nikola Kavazovic.
Rollers’ record was deemed a hard act to follow for Botswana clubs as the club had the financial might to make inroads into the latter stages of the continental competition.
Rollers was able to sign top-quality foreign talent to help them make a mark in Africa while other Botswana clubs were limited in that aspect.
When Galaxy won the league in 2020 they were thrown into a challenge they had to quickly get ready for. Kavazovic was in charge when Galaxy were declared champions but he left at the end of the season. The void was filled by a then lesser-known Ramoreboli who quickly moulded the team into a formidable side.
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Galaxy equalled Rollers’ record in the 2021/22 season under the guidance of Ramoreboli as they became only the second Botswana club to reach the continental showpiece’s group stage.
The records set Rollers and Galaxy apart from other Botswana clubs who could only look in envy as they could not test themselves against the continent’s elite clubs.
When Jwaneng Galaxy were handed the Pirates tie it seemed an uphill challenge given Pirates’ then-red-hot form. However, Ramoreboli’s calm demeanour in numerous interviews translated to the field of play as his players rose to the occasion to eliminate Pirates.
Galaxy now stands alone as the only Botswana club to make multiple trips to the group stage after their latest heroics.