External links
- Tshepo Motlhabankwe at National-Football-Teams.com
|  | |
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tshepo Motlhabankwe | ||
| Date of birth | 17 March 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Digawana | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right wing-back, right-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Township Rollers | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2005 | Extension Gunners | 58 | (4) |
| 2005–2006 | Lobtrans Gunners | 28 | (2) |
| 2006–2008 | Centre Chiefs | 72 | (9) |
| 2008–2012 | Maritzburg United | 135 | (19) |
| 2012–2013 | Heracles Almelo | 0 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | BMC Lobatse | ||
| 2015– | Centre Chiefs | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 2003–2013 | Botswana [1] | 75 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 August 2009 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 February 2017 | |||
Tshepo Motlhabankwe (born 17 March 1980) is a former Motswana footballer who played for various Botswana Premier League teams such as Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Township Rollers as well as teams in the South African Premier Division. [2] He is also a former Botswana international, having scored 2 goals between his debut in 2003 and retirement in 2013.
Motlhabankwe is originally from a small village of Digawana just a few kilometers from Lobatse. Despite being one of Botswana's most celebrated footballers, Motlhabankwe did not play youth football and instead played athletics and table tennis at school. [3] In 1997 he switched to amateur football after his father convinced him to join his newly formed team, DACARA FC. After plying his trade in the amateur ranks for several years, Motlhabankwe would make his professional football debut with Division One side Kanye Southern Pirates. [4]
It was during his stint in Southern Pirates that he impressed scouts of Botswana Premier League giants Extension Gunners, whom he joined in 2000 and shortly afterwards he received a call-up to the Botswana national team. Motlhabankwe made his debut for the national team in a 4–1 win against Lesotho. He then cemented a regular position in the national team. Motlhabankwe would switch to fellow Premier League side Mochudi Centre Chiefs in 2007 and found immediate success, winning three leagues and an FA Cup. He also featured in Stanley Tshosane's squad, commonly known as the "Botswana Dream Team", which qualified for and played in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. He parted ways with Chiefs in 2013 and joined Gilport Lions (then known as BMC), whom he left in 2015.
Upon the expiration of his contract with Gilport Lions, Motlhabankwe chose not to renew and instead joined Township Rollers as a free agent. With Rollers, he would win four consecutive league titles and a Mascom Top 8 Cup. He was also part of the history-making squad which qualified for the CAF Champions League group stages in 2018. Towards the end of the 2018-19 season Motlhabankwe announced his retirement to focus on other ventures.[ citation needed ]
{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
| | |
The FA Challenge Cup, currently known as the Orange FA Cup or Orange Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the premier club football tournament in Botswana. Started in 1968 and first played as the Lions Cup, the tournament is based on the idea of giving lower league and amateur teams a chance to compete with top flight teams. It is based on the English FA Cup, which has become known for "giant killings" (lower league teams defeating top flight.
Mochudi Centre Chiefs Sporting Club are a professional football club based in Mochudi, Botswana, who play in the Botswana Premier League after acquiring the license from Masitaoka. Thus, the Centre Chiefs are back on the highest level following their relegation from the Premier League in 2019. Centre Chiefs have won the Botswana Premier League, the highest level of Botswana football, four times. The team originates from Mochudi, a large village on the outskirts of Gaborone.
Township Rollers Football Club is a football club based in Gaborone, Botswana. Rollers are also known as Popa, The Blues or Tse Tala, the official nicknames of the club. The club is also often referred to as Mapalastina, a nickname that developed in the 1990s but has never been officially adopted by the club. Rollers is the most successful club in Botswana football history, having won more league titles and cup competitions than any other local side. It enjoys a large support base all over the country and has been called arguably the best-supported team in Botswana.
Onalethata Thekiso is a Motswana former footballer. He retired in 2016 after playing for Township Rollers and Mochudi Centre Chiefs in the Botswana Premier League. He has won twenty-four caps for the Botswana national football team.
Lemponye Tshireletso is a Motswana footballer who currently plays for Township Rollers FC and Botswana national football team as a centre forward.
Kabelo Dambe is a Motswana footballer who currently plays for Township Rollers and the Botswana national football team as a goalkeeper.
Orapa United FC is a Botswana football club based in Orapa. The team currently plays in Botswana Premier League having gained promotion from Botswana First Division North League in the 2013–14 season.
Jackie Mothatego is a Motswana footballer who plays for Mochudi Centre Chiefs SC.
The 2017–18 Mascom Top 8 Cup was the seventh edition of the Mascom Top 8 Cup. It was played from 24 November 2017 to 3 March 2018 by the top eight teams from the 2016-17 Botswana Premier League. It was won by Township Rollers.
The 2018–19 Botswana Premier League was the 42nd season of the Botswana Premier League, the top-tier football league in Botswana, since its establishment in 1978. The season started on 18 August 2018. The league drew an average attendance of 1,300 per match.
Simisani Mathumo is a Motswana footballer who plays for Township Rollers FC and the Botswana national football team. Mathumo played briefly for the Botola side Olympique Khouribga in 2020.
Edwin Moalosi is a Motswana football player currently signed to Botswana Premier League club Township Rollers. He made his Botswana debut in 2018 against Lesotho.
Maano Ditshupo is a Motswana midfielder playing for Township Rollers in the Botswana Premier League. He is a full Botswana international, having made six appearances for the Zebras.
Sekhana Koko is a Motswana footballer playing for Mochudi Centre Chiefs in the Botswana First Division South and the Botswana national football team.
Lawrence Tico Majawa is a Malawian footballer playing for Mighty Wanderers in the Malawi Premier Division and the Malawi national football team.
Kobamelo Kebaikanye is a Motswana footballer playing for Orapa United in the Botswana Premier League and the Botswana national football team.
Madinda Ndlovu is a Zimbabwean former footballer and manager currently in charge of Botswana Premier League club Gaborone United. He is generally considered one of the greatest Zimbabwean players of all time.
Mogomotsi Mpote is a Motswana former footballer and manager currently in charge of club Botswana.
Mwampule Masule is a Motswana professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Botswana national team and is currently a free agent. He last played for Botswana Premier League club Orapa United.
The 2019–20 Botswana Premier League was the 43rd season of the Botswana Premier League, the top-tier football league in Botswana, since its establishment in 1978. The season started on 31 August 2019.