Marumo Gallants Season Review: Bahlabane Ba Ntwa overcome tricky challeges in top-flight return

Bahlabane Ba Ntwa confirmed they would be based in Bloemfontein and would be playing their home games at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium for the 2024/25 season.

The team began their preparations by offloading 15 players and signing winger Daniel Msendami from Juaneng Galaxy amongst others, with Dylan Kerr being announced as the coach for the upcoming campaign.

However, the Englishman resigned just three weeks into his third stint with the club, citing indifferences with the proposed direction that the chairman wanted for the team.

Former coach Dan Malesela was then roped in to lead the team into the Betway Premiership campaign, having to quickly gel the raft of new signings with the mixture of players left from Swallows and Gallants.

He began his tenure with three consecutive losses in the league before edging AmaZulu 1-0 at home courtesy of a Msendami strike, to claim the club's first win of the season.

The team won two of their next five league matches under Malesela and managed to progress to the Carling Knockout Cup semi-finals, where they were eliminated 2-0 by eventual runners-up Mamelodi Sundowns.

Gallants also announced in late November that former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs coach Molefi Ntseki had joined the club as the new Technical Director.

In mid-December the club announced that it had placed Dan Malesela on special leave to attend to urgent family matters and tasked newly appointed assistant Sundra Govender and Duncan Lechesa to lead the team in his presence.

A record 8-1 hammering followed against Orlando Pirates, as the Soweto giants scored seven unanswered goals in the second half to hand Gallants their heaviest defeat in the top-flight.

The thrashing at Orlando Stadium, followed by a 1-0 loss to Sekhukhune United, landed the team at the bottom of the table under the interim co-coaches

Gallants then announced the immediate reinstatement of Malesela, who managed to stabilize the shaky side and take Gallants up to seventh place on the table within three matches of his return.

In January, Gallants announced the additions of striker Junior Zindonda, Junior Dion and Ibrahim Conde as they aimed to finish the season on a strong note.

However, despite the team advancing to the Nedbank Cup quarter finals, results in the league remained inconsistent, with Malesela and Technical Director Molefi Ntseki soon relieved of their duties after three back-to-back losses.

Bra "Dance" Malesela was replaced by Moroccan coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, who began with a big 2-0 upset of league title contenders Orlando Pirates and progression to the Nedbank Cup semi-final after thrashing Durban City 4-1.  

Ouaddou's side then would suffer consecutive losses in the league before losing their Nedbank Cup semi-final clash to Orlando Pirates by a solitary goal.

Gallants then brought in former Bafana Bafana striker Dino Ndlovu on a short-term deal. The club fought hard in the latter stages of the season, going unbeaten in their last seven matches in 2024/25 Betway Premiership under the Moroccan mentor.

President Abram Sello would feel slightly aggrieved to have missed out on a top eight spot on the final day, with the team drawing their last two league matches despite having led on both occasions.

A win in either match would have secured MTN8 qualification for the 2025/26 season.

Gallants will hopefully look to sign strengthen the side with a few quality players in specific positions during the upcoming transfer window instead of wholesale changes in the current squad.

The club will also be wary of interest in star wingers Daniel Msendami and Sekela Sithole, only time will tell if they will be retained or sold ahead of the new season.

Here are a few key stats from Bahlabane Ba Ntwa's season:

Key player              - Sekela Sithole (7 goal contributions - 4 goals, 3 assists)
Top goalscorers    - Gabadinho Mhango (5 goals)
Most minutes         - Daniel Msendami (2755 minutes played)
Clean sheets          - 10 (Washington Arubi - 9, Daniel Akpeyi - 1)