There was nothing to separate Eleven Angels and BDF XI at the Old Francistown Stadium on Wednesday, the two mid-table sides cancelling each other out for the second time in the Premier League this season, fighting out another goalless draw.
Going into the midweek clash on the back of a 2-0 loss to Holy Ghost, a result that snapped their eight-game unbeaten run, Angels’ growing injury list saw them without five key players.
BDF had problems of their own, with little time to prepare for the match having been in Orange FA Cup action against Notwane just three days before.
Arriving in the second city an hour prior to the 3:30pm kick-off, after a five-hour drive from the capital, the Army Boys were understandably sluggish in the opening skirmishes.
Angels on the other hand, looked alert and hungry.
Piling on the pressure, Lekgamu La Bananyana came close to taking an early lead, Captain Bakang Mpatane capitalising on some hesitant defending, unleashing a rocket of a shot that was well saved by BDF keeper, Kagiso Matlou.
Playing some delightful passing football, which had the home fans purring with pleasure, Angels could not turn their dominance into a goal and the sides went into the interval level.
Letang Kgengwenyane’s troops were much improved in the second half, finally forcing a save from Angels’ goalie, Tambani Bachopi, who had to be on his toes to keep out Oratile Monyamane’s fierce long-range effort.
Looking to re-assert their dominance, Angels created a couple of decent chances but lacked the composure to take them. They have now scored just once in their last four outings, a stat that coach Seemo Mpatane will be keen to address.
It meant, just like when the two teams met in January, the match finished 0-0.
Next up for Angels, who sit 7th in the league, two points above 10th place BDF, is a home game with Security Systems on Sunday, as they look to end a run of four games without a win.
The soldiers, meanwhile, who after the final whistle hopped back onto their bus for the long journey south, take on league leader’s Jwaneng Galaxy in Lobatse, also on Sunday.
How they saw it:
Seemo Mpatane
“I’m pleased with how the boys performed, especially given that we were missing some of our key players. We could, and probably should have won the game, but luck was not on our side.”
Letang Rasta Kgengwenyane
“I’m delighted to be taking a point back home. My guys outdid themselves; I did not expect such a performance because we did not camp. We arrived today, an hour before the game, and only had 42 hours to recover because we played on Sunday.”
