Tafic edge past BDF XI as they set their eyes on top eight finish
Tafic head coach Elias Chinyemba has expressed his satisfaction after his charges surpassed last season’s 38-point tally with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over BDF XI at Royal Aria Stadium.
The weekend victory propelled the Matjimenyenga boys to 40 points, and they now aim to reach 42 to secure their place in the FNB Premiership top eight.
Chinyemba emphasized that Tafic’s primary objective was never to challenge for the league title but to improve on last year’s campaign.
“We have now surpassed our 38-point target from last season. Now we are on 40 points, and the goal is to reach 42 so we can secure our top eight spot. Once that’s guaranteed, we’ll play with a bit more arrogance. We are competing with ourselves, last season, we finished fifth, and we want to beat the number of points we collected then. Anything beyond that is a bonus,” he said after the match at Royal Aria Stadium.
The match was played under challenging rainy conditions, making ball control difficult.
Both teams were cautious in the early stages, struggling to adjust to the wet and slightly soggy pitch.
The first half lacked real excitement as neither side showed dominance, with players still acclimatizing to the conditions.
However, Tafic came out stronger in the second half, playing with more urgency and purpose.
Their build-up play from the back, orchestrated by Kemoneetswe Mmangwedi, was fluid.
Midfielder Theo Shadikong linked up well with Thatayaone Nkwapa and Jean Lwamba, creating problems for BDF XI’s defense.
Despite their attacking intent, Tafic struggled to convert their chances, either due to poor finishing or the challenging weather.
The breakthrough finally came in the 78th minute when Botsile Kebaikanye unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box, beating the BDF XI goalkeeper and securing the much needed three points for Matjimenyenga.
The win marked a significant turnaround for Tafic, who had been slipping down the standings in recent weeks.
BDF XI did not go down without a fight, but their biggest struggle was finishing off their chances.
Striker Onkemetse Powe worked tirelessly upfront but lacked support, making it difficult for the army side to create meaningful goal scoring opportunities.
Reflecting on the loss, BDF XI’s first assistant coach, Keikothae Bothoko, admitted their team’s struggles in front of goal.
“It’s the same story as previous games, other teams get one chance and score, but for us, we create many chances and fail to convert,” he said.
