On an evening of great drama and tension in Cairo, with a nervous nation watching helplessly back home, the Zebras withstood an Egyptian onslaught to qualify for AFCON 2025.
Considering what was at stake, Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in Egypt, a powerhouse ranked 110 places higher than BW, will go down as one of the best results in the country’s history.
13 years after making their debut, the precious point confirms Botswana’s triumphant return to African football’s top tournament.
They had to earn it the hard way!
Under immense pressure, well aware that a second Egyptian goal would hand qualification to Mauritania instead, the Zebras rose up in the land of the pyramids.
Pushed back deep into their own half for almost the entire encounter, every single player in blue and white put body and soul on the line, giving their absolute all to the cause.
It’s the bare minimum football fans expect; it was also inspiring to watch!
Although the Pharaohs rested most of their big name stars, with Mo Salah one of eight starters from the 4-0 victory in Ghetto not to feature, they still represent an extremely formidable force, especially at home.
Looking to impress and cement their place in the Egyptian squad, the young Pharaohs received a shock when Morena Ramoreboli’s men took the lead in the 8th minute through Omaatla Kebatho.
Handed a rare start after impressing from the bench against Mauritania on Friday (November 15, 2024), the burly Jwaneng Galaxy forward showed a predator’s instinct to bundle home Kabelo Seakanyeng’s scuffed shot from close range.
It stunned the sparse crowd inside the 30 June Stadium into silence.
They found their voice seven minutes later, the Zebra’s chief tormentor from Ghetto, Mahmoud Trezeguet once again inflicting more pain on Botswana, finding the back of the net with a low shot from outside the box.
It proved an early end to the scoring as Captain, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and his team valiantly held on for history.
With Morocco 2025 not taking place until next December, the Zebras will have to wait another 13 months for their moment in the North African sun; the sweet memories from the qualifying campaign, climaxing in Cairo’s heroics, will have to suffice until then!
HOW THEY DID IT:
Mauritania 1 – 0 Botswana (7 September)
The road to AFCON started in rocky fashion with the Zebras limping to a 1-0 defeat in the Mauritanian capital.
Although they created little going forward, Didier da Rosa’s troops looked set to claim a valuable point away from home only to suffer late heartache when Sidi Amar popped up with an 84th minute winner.
It proved the only goal of a scrappy encounter.
Botswana 0 – 4 Egypt (10 September)
The day Salah came to town and the Zebras almost didn’t!
A mix-up with flight bookings left Botswana stranded in Mauritania, in real danger of failing to get back in time for the match.
In the end, after a mad scramble across Africa, the national team landed in Ghetto just six hours prior to kick-off, which had to be pushed back to 6pm; hardly ideal preparation to take on one of the giants of African football, who had been resting up in Francistown for a full two days!
Jet-lagged and exhausted, any hopes of an unlikely upset were extinguished in the 3rd minute when Mahmoud Trezeguet put Egypt ahead.
Considering the disastrous build-up, the Zebras did well to keep the scoreline to a relatively respectable 4-0, the goals including a second-half tap-in for Mo Salah in what was the Liverpool winger’s 100th cap for his country.
Despite the defeat, most football fans left the Obed Itani Chilume stadium happy at getting the chance to see one of the best players in world football do his thing.
Cape Verde 0 – 1 Botswana (10 October)
Exactly a month after the Egypt beating, Botswana bounced back in fine style with a rare away win.
Having failed to score in their previous two encounters, the Zebras stunned their hosts in the opening minutes.
Racing on to a raking cross field pass from Kabelo Seakanyang, front man, Tumisang Orebonye showed great strength to shrug off his marker, before beating the goalkeeper with a low drive at his near post.
The Zebras would spend much of the remaining 88 minutes camped in their own half, coming under immense pressure (Cape Verde racked up 18 corners!) but managing to defend their precious lead.
The final whistle was met with eerie silence, not because the home supporters were in shock but rather because hardly any fans turned up – there was barely a soul inside the 15, 000 seater stadium!
Botswana 1 – 0 Cape Verde (15 October)
A night of mixed emotions in Ghetto!
The delight of a second sweet victory over Cape Verde in the space of six days was soured by Coach Didier da Rosa’s resignation moments after the match.
The fed-up Frenchman accused the BFA of undermining him and quit with immediate effect, leaving for greener pastures in Libya.
On the pitch, a superbly-taken 52nd minute Thabang Sesinyi strike settled a tight game between two evenly matched sides (although according to FIFA, the islanders are ranked 82 places higher than Botswana).
It was the perfect way for Sesinyi to celebrate turning 32!
Botswana 1 – 1 Mauritania (15 November)
Now under the guidance of interim coach, Morena Ramoreboli, the new era got off to the worst possible start!
In front of a packed Obed Itani Chilume stadium last Friday, the Zebras went a goal down in the 7th minute, falling behind to a long-range thunderbolt from Aboubakary Koita.
It was a body blow, but one the home side responded well to.
With President Boko Duma watching on, BW forced a deserved equalizer 11 minutes later, Gilbert Baruti’s low drive somehow squeezing through a crowd of players to nestle in the bottom corner.
Unlike in their previous games under Da Rosa, when they saw precious little of the ball, this time Botswana bossed the possession stats.
Knowing victory would secure their AFCON qualification, both sides went all out for a winner in an absorbing, drama-filled second half.
It was the Zebras who came closest to scoring again, denied by the brilliance of Babacar Niasse.
The lanky keeper, who came to fame earlier this year by saving two penalties at AFCON, made several sprawling, spectacular stops to earn his nation a point.
At that point, it looked like two costly points dropped….
Egypt 1 – 1 Botswana (19 November)
With Mauritania ready to pounce on any slip-ups, Botswana travelled to Cairo all too aware that defeat would likely cost them their place in AFCON.
Four days on from the draw in Ghetto, Ramoreboli made four changes to his starting line-up.
One of those changes, Omaatla Kebatho had an immediate impact, bundling in from close range to put Botswana ahead in the 8th minute.
Although the shocked Pharaohs screamed for handball, the ref rightly allowed the goal to stand.
By the 15th minute it was 1-1, Trezeguet (one of only three Egyptian starters from the reverse fixture in Francistown to retain his place) beating Goitseone Phoko with a scuffed shot from outside the box; the Galaxy gloveman will perhaps feel he should have done better, although he more than made amends later on with a number of crucial saves.
With their AFCON fate hanging in the balance, the Zebras defended like lions, putting bodies and souls on the line to somehow keep Egypt (who enjoyed a staggering 83 percent of the possession) at bay and cling on for AFCON.
