Botswana soccer sensation and Chicago Fire’s potent striker Dipsy Selolwane is ready to spearhead his native country to its first World Soccer cup in Germany next year.
Selolwane, whose sensational goal against MetroStars catapulted the Fire to the top of the Eastern Conference with a decisive 3-0 victory at Soldier Field.
Invitation came from Botswana that he should be home for the June world cup soccer encounter against Morocco.
“I’m happy for the invitation. Botswana is not Nigeria or Cameroon but we hope to waltz around Morocco to the next stage,” he told The Chicago Inquirer.
“I just had my chance and I utilized it. The more you play, the more you get comfortable playing in the MLS and I’m happy my confidence is going up every day,” the soft-spoken petit striker said.
Three different forwards scored goals for the Fire, while goalkeeper Henry Ring notched his MLS-leading fourth clean sheet of the season.
Damani Ralph and Ante Razov — continued the Fire’s recent dominance of the MetroStars and former Chicago coach Bob Bradley.
Since Bradley moved from Chicago to the MetroStars last season, the Metros haven’t won in five league meetings (and also lost last year’s U.S. Open Cup final to the Fire).
Both Ralph and Razov scored all the goals by Chicago against the MetroStars a year ago.
Selolwane however promised to engineer Morocco ouster in the world cup race and put Botswana on a good footing in the quest to feature in the world cup finals.
The Botswana international held off MetroStars defender Eddie Pope and placed a shot out of the reach of goalkeeper Jonny Walker. The MetroStars have conceded the first goal in all four of their matches this season.
The MetroStars narrowly missed drawing level in the 36th minute when Mark Lisi capped off a great individual effort with a dangerous chance from inside the box. He split the Chicago defense down the left side of the box and chipped a shot over the hands of a leaping Ring, only to see it come back off the inside of the far post.
Damani Ralph doubled the Fire lead in the 56th minute of play, scoring his second goal of the season with an opportunistic strike from inside the penalty area. DaMarcus Beasley’s slashing run down the left side of the box forced MetroStars defender Tenywa Bonseu to ground in a desperate bid to clear the ball out of danger.
But Ralph was in perfect position to intercept the clearance attempt, however, and the 2003 MLS Rookie of the Year immediately lashed the ball past Walker for the Fire’s second.
Razov, who came in for Selolwane at the 72-minute mark, then paid immediate dividends for the Fire with a goal in the 77th minute.
Ralph played the ball wide to Beasley on the left flank, as Razov began a sprint into the box.
Getting favorable position on Bonseu, Razov redirected Beasley’s low cross past a stranded Walker and into the far side netting. The goal was Razov’s first of the campaign, and the 74th of his MLS career.
Walker did not give up on the game, twice called upon to make spectacular saves in the waning minutes.
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