2018–19 FA Challenge Cup (Botswana)
# 2018–19 FA Challenge Cup (Botswana)

The 2019 FA Challenge Cup was the 46th edition of the FA Challenge Cup, Botswana's premier football knockout tournament. It was sponsored by Orange and was known as the Orange FA Cup or Orange FA Cup Season 1 for sponsorship reasons. It started with the preliminary round on the weekend of 16 February and concluded with the final on 15 June 2019.

Botswana Premier League side Gaborone United were the defending champions but were eliminated by Extension Gunners on penalties in the round of 32. Orapa United went on to win the title for the first time in history, making them the first Orapa side to do so.

## Qualifying rounds

All 16 Premier League teams automatically qualified to the round of 32. The top 8 teams from First Division South and top 8 from First Division North had to go through the preliminary round and were joined by the 16 regional champions. Winners of this round qualified for the round of 32.

## Preliminary round

The preliminary round draw took place on 23 January 2019. The draw was seeded into two, namely the northern and southern blocks. Southern block games were played on 16 and 17 February while northern block games were played on 23 and 24 February.

Southern block

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Ground |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 16 February | Jwaneng Fighters | 0-0 (3-1 pen.) | Digodi | Mankgodi Show Grounds |
| 16 February | Holy Ghost | 0-1 | Tlokweng Red Sparks | Tlokweng VDC Grounds |
| 16 February | Blue Stars | 1-5 | Notwane | Tshane Prisons Grounds |
| 16 February | Black Peril | 5-1 | Mogoditshane Fighters | Tlokweng VDC Grounds |
| 16 February | Sand Diamonds | 0-0 (4-3 pen.) | Motaung Young Fighters | Tshane Prisons Grounds |
| 17 February | Broadhurst United | 0-1 | Atlanta Chiefs | Mochudi Rovers Grounds |
| 17 February | Mochudi Rovers | 0-0 (10-11 pen.) | Prisons XI | Mochudi Rovers Grounds |
| 17 February | Black Rangers | 3-1 | King Rodgers | Tsabong VDC Grounds |

Northern block

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Ground |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 23 February | Great North Tigers | 4-3 | Eleven Angels | Francistown City Council Stadium |
| 23 February | Motlakase Power Dynamos | 1-1 (7-8) | Peacemakers | Bobonong Show Grounds |
| 23 February | Calendar Stars | 1-1 (4-3) | Maun Terrors | Francistown City Council Stadium |
| 23 February | Kazungula Young Fighters | 0-0 (7-6) | White Diamonds | Kasane Prisons Grounds |
| 23 February | Palapye All Stars | 2-2 (1-3) | Sua Flamingos | Phikwe United Grounds |
| 23 February | Santa Green | 3-2 | Morupule Wanderers | Phikwe United Grounds |
| 24 February | BR Highlanders | 4-0 | Green Lovers | Serowe Sports Council Stadium |
| 24 February | Nico United | 3-1 | Tsabotlhe | Serowe Sports Council Stadium |

## Round of 32

The round of 32 draw was conducted on 24 February 2019 after the conclusion of the preliminary round. It was not seeded. Jwaneng Fighters, Atlanta Chiefs, Black Rangers, Black Peril, Sand Diamonds, Peacemakers, Kazungula Young Fighters and Santa Green from Division One are the lowest ranked teams still in the competition.

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Ground |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 29 March | Gaborone United | 2-2 (7-8) | Extension Gunners |
| 29 March | Santa Green | 0-3 | Township Rollers | Serowe Sports Complex |
| 30 March | Notwane | 2-1 | Tlokweng Red Sparks |
| 30 March | Great North Tigers | 0-1 | Miscellaneous |
| 30 March | Sand Diamonds | 0-0 (4-2) | Black Peril |
| 30 March | Nico United | 1-2 | BDF XI |
| 30 March | BR Highlanders | 0-0 (10-9) | Uniao Flamengo Santos |
| 30 March | Police XI | 1-0 | Sharps Shooting Stars |
| 30 March | Calendar Stars | 1-2 | Kazungula Young Fighters |
| 30 March | Black Forest | 0-0 (9-10) | Security Systems |
| 30 March | Sua Flamingos | 1-2 | Sankoyo Bush Bucks |
| 30 March | Peacemakers | 0-10 | Orapa United |
| 31 March | Atlanta Chiefs | 2-4 | Jwaneng Fighters |
| 31 March | Prisons XI | 1-2 | TAFIC |
| 31 March | Mochudi Centre Chiefs | 2-1 | Gilport Lions |
| 31 March | Jwaneng Galaxy | 1-1 (5-4) | Black Rangers |

## Round of 16

The round of 16 draw was conducted on 4 April 2019. It was not seeded. Jwaneng Fighters, Sand Diamonds and Kazungula Young Fighters from Division One are the lowest ranked teams still in the competition.

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Ground |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 13 April | Extension Gunners | 0-1 | Township Rollers | Lobatse Sports Complex |
| 13 April | Sankoyo Bush Bucks | 0-1 | Jwaneng Galaxy |
| 13 April | Notwane | 1-3 | BDF XI |
| 13 April | BR Highlanders | 1-2 | Security Systems |
| 13 April | Kazungula Young Fighters | 2-1 | TAFIC |
| 13 April | Sand Diamonds | 0-4 | Orapa United |
| 14 April | Jwaneng Fighters | 1-1 (3-1) | Mochudi Centre Chiefs |
| 14 April | Police XI | 4-2 | Miscellaneous |

## Quarterfinals

The quarterfinal draw was conducted on 14 April after the conclusion of the round of 16. It was not seeded. Jwaneng Fighters and Kazungula Young Fighters from Division One are the lowest ranked teams still in the competition.

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Ground |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 27 April | Kazungula Young Fighters | 0-1 | Township Rollers | Chobe JSS Ground |
| 27 April | Orapa United | 2-1 | Security Systems | |
| 28 April | Jwaneng Fighters | 0-0 (4-5) | Police XI | |
| 28 April | BDF XI | 0-0 (5-4) | Jwaneng Galaxy | |

## Semifinals

The semifinal draw was conducted on 28 April after the Jwaneng Fighters and Police XI game.

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Ground |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 18 May 2019 | Police XI | 1-4 | Orapa United | Botswana National Stadium |
| 18 May 2019 | BDF XI | 0-2 | Township Rollers | Botswana National Stadium |

## Final

| Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Ground |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 15 June 2019 | Orapa United | 3-0 | Township Rollers | Francistown Stadium |

## Awards

* Top goalscorer | Omaatla Kebatho (7 goals) | Orapa United
* Player of the tournament | Mothusi Johnson | Orapa United
* Goalkeeper of the tournament | Lesenya Malapela | Orapa United
* Coach of the tournament | Mogomotsi Mpote | Orapa United
* Referee of the tournament | Joshua Bondo
* Assistant referee of the tournament | Mogomotsi Morakile
* Fan of the tournament | Luka Daniel | Township Rollers
