At 1530hrs on Saturday, Francistown favourites, TAFIC FC step into the unknown.
Coach, Phillimon Makwengwe and his Premier League Reds begin their quest for Orange FA Cup glory with a tricky test against minnows, Mmadinare Giant Aces.
Founded exactly 50 years ago, the rookies have found success hard to come by, struggling to make any serious impact on local football…until now.
After years of toil, Aces’ fortunes finally improved last season, winning the Selebi Phikwe Regional Football Association (SPRFA) Division One Stream A, backing this up with victory in the three-team Championship play-offs.
Although they were outclassed in the Eastern Block shootout for the First Division North, losing all three of their games, Aces had done enough to qualify for Botswana’s biggest cup competition for the first time.
Desperate to mark their bow with a bang, ‘the Red Movement’ go into the cup in fine form, enjoying a perfect start to the season, with three wins from three to stand top of their nine-team regional league.
With legendary former player, Prince ‘Jomo’ Modise now at the helm, promoted from Assistant to Head Coach following the departure of Nchime Modise at the end of last season, confidence at the club is at an all time high.
“Spectators should expect an exciting and massive match on Saturday as there are more new experienced signings and the camp is injury free. The team is ready to take on the Francistown giants and they acknowledge the experience TAFIC will be bringing,” said Modise, whose playing career with Aces spanned over 20 years, from 1995 to 2016.
“As this will be our first time competing in the FA Cup, the entire team is very excited and very eager to learn and gain experience about the FA Cup,” he told Voice Sport on Tuesday afternoon.
When local players: Simon Moepeng, Robert Molosiwa, Alfred Lesang, and Cece Modise, founded Mmadinare Giant Aces in 1974, they dreamed of a team that would bring glory and excitement to the village.
This weekend at the Mmadinare Show Ground, that dream might just come true!
Whatever happens, when the 5th installment of the Orange FA Cup gets underway in the north, in Mmadinare, one way or another, a giant will be slain.