#CHENCHA MOTSHAMEKO Who has the toughest start to the FNB Premiership
The 2024-25 FNB Premiership campaign is exactly a month away from springing to action, with the first action set for 21 September this year. With the fixture release day being August 21 this Thursday, we have looked at the schedule to work out which teams have the easiest and toughest starts of the new season.
Botswana Premier League this Thursday released the fixtures for the new FNB Premiership season, triggering a frenzy of excitement among local football lovers who were quick to make their feelings known about what they saw.
Many were unhappy to see Gaborone crosstown rivals Gaborone United and Township Rollers pitted together in the first game of the season expected to be a sell out if the two teams do their marketing of the game well. Supporters who took to social media to comment on the fixtures felt that the famed Gaborone derby would be more exciting during a time of the season when any result could make a significant shift in the direction of the league title.
Other supporters were interested in the matches involving backdoor elite league returnees Extension Gunners and Mochudi Centre Chiefs. The two sides made their quick return from the National First Division via the purchase of Premier League statuses of Jwaneng Young Stars and Masitaoka FC respectively. Young Stars had just gained automatic promotion from the First Division but decided they would remain there, opting to swap places with Gunners who finished closer to relegation in the second tier football division. Gunners finished 9th out of 12, just two places above relegation to the third tier.
On the other hand, Masitaoka had been playing in the elite league, finishing 9th, and reports of financial difficulties are said to have influenced their decision to disband their team and sell their status to Chiefs, who unlike Gunners, were Top 4 finishers in the National First Division, just two places shy of the promotion positions.
The two sides also play on September 21, with Gunners hosting Sua Flamingos at the Lobatse Sports Complex and Chiefs traveling to Palapye to meet Morupule Wanderers. Fans actually expressed a wish that two could have been made to play against each other on opening day, or for them to be each paired with either of Rollers and GU.
Getting to a strong start is key to a good season, and it remains to be seen how both Chiefs and Gunners will fare, given their manner of returning to the elite league. Both were not playing particularly well in the First Division and will not find it easy against seasoned elite league campaigners. With Flamingoes an impressive outfit in the last season, finishing seventh, Gunners had better be prepared for a tough duel, especially with very little having been seen from them in the transfer market. Wanderers were nearly relegated, finishing just one place from going down, and Chiefs, who nearly promoted themselves, might just get away with something should their opponents’ experience in the elite league fail to show.
Let us assess the rest of the fixtures and look at who else has the toughest or easiest start to the season.
FNB PREMIERSHIP MATCHDAY 1 FIXTURES
SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2024
* Gaborone United vs Township Rollers @ National Stadium
* Extension Gunners vs Sua Flamingoes @ Lobatse Sports Complex
* Orapa United vs Chadibe FC @ Itekeng Stadium
* BDF XI vs Matebele FC @ BIAC Stadium
* Morupule Wanderers vs Mochudi Centre Chiefs @ Palapye Stadium
* TAFIC FC vs Nico United @ Obed Itani Chilume Stadium
SUNDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2024
* VTM FC vs Jwaneng Galaxy @ VTM Arena
* Security Systems vs Uniao Flamengo Santos @ Lobatse Sports Complex
On paper, any of the two teams playing the diamond town sides Jwaneng Galaxy and Orapa United will not have it easy. The premiership champions Galaxy have always proved a hard nut to crack locally, and VTM FC will surely have a steep mountain to climb against a colossal side that is currently gaining necessary momentum and experience from their current participation in the CAF Champions League.
Chadibe FC could not have been given a worse start – with the Premiership rookies set to get a baptism of fire against FA Cup finalists. Despite finishing tenth in the premiership, United are still a difficult terrain to negotiate even for the top finishers, which is why they went all the way to the Orange FA Cup finals last season. It surely will not be an easy match for the rookies who were promoted as First Division North champions.
Promotional play-off winners Flamengo Santos are up against Top 4 finishers Security Systems, and it is easy to decide who will get it tough on the day. Nico United against Tafic on paper sees the Ghetto-based coming into the match as favourites. Nico finished 12th last season while Tafic finished an impressive 5th.
The rest of the duels are too close to call: the game between Rollers and GU can go either way. It is a game where the last results and current form count for nothing. Matebele FC taking on BDF XI is also a close one. The best prepared side will win.
