As Clinton Larsen prepares to lead the rookie team Magesi FC in the Carling Knockout final against Mamelodi Sundowns at the Toyota Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, memories of 2012 come flooding back. Back then, Larsen guided Bloemfontein Celtic to a 1-0 victory over Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout final, with the match's only goal scored by former Botswana international Mogorosi.
Mogorosi, now retired and coaching Majwe FC in Botswana's second-tier league, vividly recalls that pivotal moment. "I remember it like it was yesterday," he says. Despite controversies over whether the ball fully crossed the line, Mogorosi remains proud of his contribution to Celtic's historic win.
Reflecting on the unpredictability of football, Mogorosi compares his goal to famous controversial moments, such as Luis Suarez's handball in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal in 1986. These incidents highlight the thrilling and sometimes contentious nature of the sport.
With the upcoming final, Mogorosi hopes his "father" figure, Larsen, can recreate history with Magesi FC. Despite Sundowns' dominance and widespread expectations of an easy win for them, Mogorosi believes Larsen's calm demeanor and strategic mindset will give Magesi a fighting chance.
In 2012, Celtic's game plan was simple frustrate Sundowns by keeping the scoreline goalless as long as possible, which they managed to do until halftime. Larsen's calm and motivating approach, free from pressure, helped his team believe in themselves. His confidence that they would score if they remained composed proved correct, with Celtic netting the decisive goal just two minutes into the second half.
As Larsen prepares for another final, Mogorosi and many others are eager to see if history will repeat itself. Will the Larsen-lightning strike again this weekend?
