Late goals earn Zebras win over Ocean Boys
Botswana got their 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign back on track by securing a 2-0 win over Somalia at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown on Tuesday night.
The convincing victory elevated the Zebras up to the third spot in the Group G standings and they will be hoping to avenge their recent defeat to Algeria when the two teams meet in North Africa in September.
The Ocean Boys, on the other hand, remained sixth in the standings after registering their fifth defeat in Group G.
Coach Yusuf Ali Nur's side will play host to Guinea when the qualifiers resume in September.
ZEBRAS WALLOP SOMALIA IN WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
— The 2nd Republic (@2ndRepublicNews) March 25, 2025
The Botswana Senior Nation team otherwise affectionately called "Zebras" have tonight made a good account of themselves by defeating Somalia 2-0 in a game that was played under floodlights in Francistown. Both the Zebras goals came in… pic.twitter.com/Ne6pYBC6pn
The Zebras saw most of the ball in the first half, but they were wasteful in front of goal and they suffered a blow in the 41st minute as their star striker, Tumisang Orebonye, suffered an injury.
The Libya-based striker was then replaced by Thabang Sesinyi as coach Morena Ramoreboli's side pushed for the opening goal.
However, the score was 0-0 at the interval with Somalia containing an attack-minded Botswana side.
Ramoreboli pulled out Segolame Boy and introduced Tshepo Keselebale, who proved to be an inspired substitute, as he set up Gape Mohutsiwa, whose effort beat goalkeeper Abdirahman Mohamud Jama to hand Botswana a 1-0 lead in the 74th minute.
Botswana's 2-0 victory over Somalia was then sealed by Mothusi Johnson, who hit the back of the net in the 83rd minute, with the Ocean Boys' defence at sixes and sevens, and the hosts were able to keep a clean sheet on the night.
Botswana 2 (Mohutsiwa 74' Johnson 83')
Somalia 0
Botswana: Phoko, Velaphi, Dithokwe, Gaolaolwe, Johnson, Modingwane, Mohutsiwa (Ditsele 84'), Setsile (Mangolo 85'), Seakanyeng (Baruti 64'), Boy (Keselebale 46'), Orebonye (Sesinyi 42')
Somalia: Mohamud, Farah (Hussein 21'), Ali (Abdulkadir 87'), Gigli, Abdi, Suleiman, Abdullahi, Omar, Musse (Yusuuf 87'), Habib (Awad 67'), Ahmed
