Ramoreboli calls for patience after Botswana loss

Botswana national team coach Morena Ramoreboli has called for patience with his side after starting the Mukuru Four Nations Tournament with a 3-0 loss to Zimbabwe on Saturday.

The Warriors proved too strong for the Zebras during the semifinal match at Obed Itani Stadium in Francistown where the tournament is underway. Malawi and Zambia are also among the participants.

Ready for the Battle Field

📍 Francistown is calling.

Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, the home of the Botswana 4 Nations Tournament, is ready to welcome Zimbabwe for what promises to be a thrilling regional showdown.

A modern arena. Four nations. One mission.

The countdown to… pic.twitter.com/c8v66FVSUB

— Zimbabwe Football Association (@online_zifa) March 11, 2026

Reflecting on the defeat, Ramoreboli attributed the result to errors largely arising from inexperience of most of his players featured in the game. The Zebras are without most of their key players.

Ramoreboli: mistakes cost Botswana but…

“It was a good game. We made three mistakes especially in the first half. At half-time, I said the three goals if we can analyse them, we could have done better,” the coach said.

“These are the mistakes that one would say you can only see when you play with inexperienced players.

“If you look at the second half, I think after a few tactical changes, we started to play better. Again, it was clear to them that ‘we are playing Zimbabwe and it is us playing Zimbabwe, let us go out and play better’. Maybe if we had scored a penalty, we could have gained energy and done well.”

Why patience with the Zebras is important

Ramoreboli then called for patience with his up-and-coming players as he seeks to build a strong team ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.

“We need to be patient with them and allow them to grow and allow them to gain that confidence. They will grow and become a better team,” the South African added.

Zimbabwe delivered the goods courtesy of the goals from Bill Antonio, Tshuma and Macauley Bonne. The Warriors goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze also played his penalty by saving a penalty to ensure a clean sheet.

The Zebras will now meet the Flames of Malawi in a third-place play-off on March 31 while Zimbabwe and Zambia meet in the final.