Broadhurst shakes things up

FC Broadhurst 4 (Zeal, Tiego, Toffy, Benji) Culture Spears 2

Playing in a Botswana Football Association (BFA) approved stadium should send shivers down the spines of any Sunday social soccer player but that was not the case with FC Broadhurst as they took on Culture Spears FC at Mogoditshane Fighters’ Stadium in Mogoditshane last Sunday.

The match was surely going to be an exciting one as it had all the ingredients of a thriller. Firstly both teams were wearing blue jerseys with the only difference being that jerseys for Culture Spears had a black strip just below the arm pits. Culture Spears was also wearing black shorts while Broadhurst was in blue shorts.

The first 5 minutes were packed with confusion as passes were misdirected but as the game wore on players got used to each other but no one knows how the referee managed to see if one was in an offside position.

Maybe if Culture Spears changes its name, they will play better soccer. Their name suggests that they are a group of dreadlocked dagga smoking Jamaican reggae music outfit.

FC Broadhurst was without its reliable defence duo of Mozy and Parkers while Tinz was absent thereby making Zeal the only striker available. No one knew why coach Bongs had gone to South Africa for over two weeks but the question was answered when his presence was underlined by that of Toffy.

Coach Bongs explained that he had to travel to South Africa and negotiate with Toffy’s university team so that he could beef up his midfield and also give him options when going forward. Benji was made to wear Mozy’s big boots and he was very comfortable in them as exhibited by him and Thando, his defence partner keeping a clean sheet when the teams went for the half time break. FC Broadhurst was leading 2-0. Theirs was more of a symbiotic relationship as Culture Spears’ strikers failed to find room to manoeuvre let alone test Thutsi who was in goals for Broadhurst

Since Benji’s scoring prowess is going to hell in a handbasket, coach Bongs might be tempted to permanently switch him into defence. It won’t be a first as professionals such as Dutch international and former Manchester United FC and Real Madrid goal talisman, Ruud Van Nisterol started his career as a defender before being turned into the merciless goal scorer he is today.

With Mozy still battling to shrug off a nagging injury, Benji has found a new home. Mozy and Parkers would have to fight for their numbers as the lanky player seemed to be sending the coach a message that “this is my right position, not where you usually play me.”

The match could have finished with Broadhurst having scores that can be counted with fingers from both hands had they utilized all their chances but the strike force of Zeal and Toffy took turns to fluff the chances. Toffy pleaded for clemency way before the kick off whistle stating that he had a sizeable break for soccer and feared it would compromise his play. It was just not his day and when he skied one effort over the cross bar with the goal keeper beaten and nowhere near him, there was a deafening aaahhh from the crowd that had come to watch their home team.

A tired Simba went into oblivion in the second half, while Bra Hlo kept tormenting Culture Spears on the left side of the midfield. Tiego was at his best again and his lovely performance was capped by a Lionel Messi inspired goal- he got a pass from Ronny and turned as if to pass the ball wide to Toffy who was calling for it, leading one midfielder to commit himself in that direction, he charged towards the 18 yard area in process subtracting two defenders with a drag and pull Adebayor control skill, he then rounded a visibly shaken goal keeper to net Broadhurst’s second goal.

Zeal had put Broadhurst in front with a blistering shot that a full stretched and diving Culture Spears goalie could not reach.