Midfielder Ivan Ntege guides Township Rollers to 15th league title in Botswana

Botswana Premier League:

• Township Rollers 2-0 Extension Gunners

Township Rollers Football Club were crowned the BTC 2017/18 Botswana Premier League champions at the National Stadium in Gaborone on Wednesday night.

This was after a 2-0 convincing victory against the visiting Extension Gunners.

Left back Kaone Vanderwesthuizen struck the night’s opening goal past goalkeeper Thomas Manyelela as early as the third minute as the Popa popa took the lead.

Prodigal son, Segolame Boy doubled the advantage in the 25th minute with an incredible free-kick as they built on the lead until the end.

Hardworking Ugandan midfielder Ivan “Kojja” Ntege was a late second half replacement, having come on for Edwin Moalosi in the 82nd minute before a capacity crowd.

They finished the league on 66 points, four better than second placed Jwaneng Galaxy.

This has been the third consecutive league title for Township Rollers and a record 15th national crown.

Also, the 2017/18 season witnessed Township Rollers clinch a domestic double having earlier on won the country’s FA Cup on 4th March 2018 when they condemned Orapa United FC 4-2 in the epic finale at the beautiful Francistown Sports Complex.

Lemponye Tshireletso, Edwin ‘Moluba’ Moalosi, Bogosi Nfila and Kaone Vanderwesthuizen scored for Ntege’s side who lifted their second FA Cup since 2012.

Omaatla Kebatho and Gift Moyo pulled up two late strikes  for Orapa United, a side otherwise baptised as the ‘Ostriches’.

For starters, Township Rollers is in the same group as Ugandan representatives KCCA in pool A of the CAF Champions league group stages.

In two matches thus far, they have won and lost one game apiece home and away respectively.

They defeated KCCA 1-0 in Gaborone and were humiliated 4-0 on the road in Tunisia away to Club Esperence.

Township Rollers will face Egypt’s Al Ahly away on 17th July 2018 at the Cairo International Stadium.

Ntege joins the long list of Ugandan footballers who have won accolades with their respective club outside Uganda.

Defender Murushid Juuko and Emmanuel Okwi won at Simba in Tanzania, Uganda Cranes captain Denis Onyango triumphed at South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns as well as Yunus Sentamu and Tonny Mawejje who achieved success at FC Tirana in Albania.