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KITSO RAMONO
Botswana’s senior national football team, the Zebras, suffered a narrow 1–0 defeat to the Cranes of Uganda in a hard-fought FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier played at the Obed Itani Chilumestadium in Francistown on Thursday night.
Despite the loss, Zebras head coach Morena Ramoreboli expressed pride in his players’ determination and tactical discipline, describing their performance as one that showed growth and resilience against a more experienced opponent.
The atmosphere inside the Francistown venue was electric from the first whistle, with a lively home crowd rallying behind the national side. The Zebras, though already out of contention for World Cup qualification, entered the match with visible intent, pressing high, showing composure in midfield, and creating several early chances.
Ramoreboli’s men started strongly, carving out opportunities that could have easily changed the complexion of the match. Striker Tumisang Orebonye came closest to opening the scoring midway through the first half when his thunderous shot crashed against the crossbar, drawing gasps from the stands. Moments later, a goalmouth scramble nearly produced a breakthrough, but the Ugandan defence cleared the danger.
Despite their bright start, the Zebras struggled to convert their chances, a recurring concern for the national side throughout the qualifiers. Uganda, more clinical and structured in possession, began to impose themselves as the game progressed, using their experience and physicality to dictate the tempo.
Both sides went into the break locked at 0–0, with Botswana’s backline, marshalled by Mothusi Johnson and Ezekiel Morake in goal, holding firm under increasing pressure.
The breakthrough for the visitors eventually came in the 54th minute when Jude Ssemugabi rose unmarked to head home from a corner kick, punishing Botswana’s brief lapse in concentration. The goal exposed one of the few moments of disorganization in an otherwise disciplined defensive display by the hosts.
Reflecting on the goal, Ramoreboli admitted his disappointment, noting that the team had specifically worked on defending set pieces in training.“Even the goal we conceded came from a set piece, something we had prepared for. We spoke about tracking the player who moves between the lines, but for the first time, we allowed a free header. That was the difference,” he said.
The Zebras refused to give up after conceding. Ramoreboli introduced tactical adjustments, shifting from a 4-3-3 setup to a more attacking 4-4-2 and later a 3-5-2 formation in a bid to find the equaliser. His changes injected renewed energy into the side, with Botswana pressing higher up the pitch and committing more players forward.
The home side’s best chance in the closing stages came when midfielder ThatayaoneDitlhokwe forced the Ugandan goalkeeper into a reflex save from a well-taken free kick. Later, with the keeper off his line, Mothusi Johnson made a heroic clearance to deny Uganda what looked like a certain second goal.
Despite their effort, the Zebras could not find the equaliser, and Uganda held on to secure maximum points, a win that keeps them second in the group with 18 points. Botswana, meanwhile, remain in fifth place on nine points with one match left to play, an away fixture against Guinea.
Speaking after the final whistle, Ramoreboli was full of praise for his players’ effort, emphasising that while the result was disappointing, the performance signaled progress.“I think really, we can’t fault the effort and the commitment. As much as they won, we won the day. We created a lot of chances. Our challenge remains finishing. But we played with courage and discipline against a team with far more international experience,” he said.
The coach added that the focus now shifts to building consistency and reducing small defensive lapses that often prove costly at the international level.“It’s part of the game, we learn, and we can only get better from our mistakes. We will work hard to improve our conversion rate and maintain concentration in crucial moments,” he said.
