Botswana’s historic qualification for the 2025 AFCON was no accident. It was the result of meticulous planning, strategic thinking, and a bold tactical gamble by interim coach Morena Ramoreboli.
Taking off your goal scorer and biggest goal threat in a must-win match is considered a risky move. In any tactically astute coach’s thought process, a player offering a goal threat may make forward forays that leave the team susceptible to counter-attacks and be light in numbers after losing possession.
SA-born coach Ramoreboli stepped into Cairo at the 30 June Stadium, knowing that a draw would be enough for his team to book a place in the 2025 AFCON in Morrocco. While Ramoreboli harboured ambitions of being adventurous in pursuit of an early goal, he knew he also had to balance it out with a pragmatic approach after gaining something to protect.
BALANCING ACT BY MORENA RAMOREBOLI
After an eighth-minute breakthrough courtesy of Omaatla Kebatho, the Zebras created an early cushion to calm their nerves. Ramoreboli’s side pushed for yet another goal as another goal-bound effort from Kebatho almost doubled the lead for the Zebras.
In an attacking sense, that was as good as it got for the Zebras, as Kebatho registered the team’s only two shots on target in the game. Egypt then levelled matters through Mahmoud Trezeguet.
On the cusp of half-time, Ramoreboli summoned Thabang Sesinyi from Zebras’ group of substitutes, who were on warm-up duty and gave him instructions. As both teams emerged from the tunnel for the second-half it was evident that Ramoreboli made a bold move to substitute Botswana’s goal scorer, Kebatho and insert Sesinyi.
MORENA RAMOREBOLI’S RISKY MOVE THAT PAID OFF
The interim head coach made a tactical switch, which saw AS FAR Rabat forward Tumisang Orebonye move from a wide position to assume Kebatho’s role as the focal point of the attack.
While Kebatho offered a direct goal threat and physical presence, Ramoreboli knew that Orebonye offered a smarter way of disrupting Egypt’s build-up.
Orebonye, who plies his trade in Morocco, is accustomed to the North African style of play and knows how to draw fouls, make time-wasting tactical fouls and the pace to add numbers in defensive shapes when his team is under attack.
Even though Orebonye cut a lone figure in the Zebra’s attack, he ensured that every time he was in possession, he took the ball in his stride and drew contact from the Egyptian defenders.
Playing with his back to goal in most of the plays, he resisted the urge to dribble past the Egyptian players as he knew he was outnumbered.
This gave the team more time to regroup and get back into their original shape once in possession. For every long ball the Zebras played, Orebonye contested every aerial ball and retained possession.
Meanwhile, Ramoreboli’s decision to opt for graft over penetration proved to be a masterstroke in the end. With Egypt dominating possession (82%), every break in play from Orebonye proved vital as it disrupted the home team’s momentum.
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Story by Bongani Malunga
