Another
week, another batch of talking points. Here are the talking points from Week 5
in the Vodacom Premier League…
 |
| Matlama want the title, but consistency is needed |
Inconsistency
is the name of the game so far…
The weekend’s action showed the lack of
consistency to start this season’s Vodacom Premier League. With the exception
of champions Lioli and possibly Likhopo, every side has fluctuated between good
and bad displays on a weekly basis. As a result, no side has yet shown itself capable
of being a real challenger to Lioli. On Saturday, Bantu were held to a 0-0 draw
by newly-promoted Liphakoe taking them two steps back after the step forward of
winning back-to-back games.
Quthing is a tough place to go but Bantu,
champions in 2014 and Lioli’s main rivals on paper, are now already five points
behind Tse Nala. Matlama and LCS both won over the weekend but it’s still too early
to say they are a genuine title challengers.
But
LCS showing signs of improvement
It was always going to be a difficult challenge
for Mpitsa Marai taking over at LCS in his first gig as a head coach. As a
player from 2000 to 2010, Marai won every trophy possible with Masheshena as
LCS established themselves as Lesotho’s pre-eminent club. In July he was tasked
with continuing the solid work done by Katiso Mojakhomo last season as LCS made
it into the top four for the first time in three years.
 |
| LCS have shown signs of improvement under Mpitsa Marai |
Marai is also expected by those at LCS
to eventually return Masheshena to be the country’s most feared side. Things looked
bad to start the season. Masheshena were beaten 1-0 by Kick4Life on the opening
day of the campaign and followed that up with an insipid goalless draw with
Sandawana. However, since then Marai’s side has rattled off three wins in a row
and sit three points behind leaders Lioli. Maybe Marai can indeed be the man to
return Masheshena’s glory days.
Rocks
starting to fall to the bottom
Mphatlalatsane, Sandawana and Likila
United are beginning to differentiate themselves in the way they don’t want to.
All three have looked extremely poor in their games so far this season and they
make up the league’s bottom three. Mphatlalatsane and Sandawana are winless
while Likila’s sole win came in the boardroom after they were awarded a 3-0
victory for a cancelled match against Mphatlalatsane on August 29. On that day Mphatlalatsane forgot their
players’ licenses illustrating their shambles. As early as it is, the trio look
as though they will be fighting out a relegation battle until May.
Elsewhere… Lioli got back
to winning ways with a 3-1 over Likila United on Sunday. It was also a good
weekend for Linare. Tse Tala made in two wins from two and ended Rovers’
unbeaten start to the season with a hard-fought 1-0 win in Roma.
Week
5 Results
Saturday
Liphakoe 0-0 Bantu
Kick4Life 1-1 Sandawana
LDF FC 0-1 LCS FC
Matlama 3-2 LMPS
Sunday
Mphatlalatsane 1-4 Likhopo
Likila United 1-3 Lioli
Rovers 0-1 Linare
Vodacom
Premier League Table
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
||
1
|
Lioli
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
9
|
2
|
7
|
13
|
2
|
Likhopo
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
11
|
2
|
9
|
11
|
3
|
Matlama
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
6
|
3
|
10
|
4
|
LCS
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
10
|
5
|
Rovers
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
8
|
6
|
Bantu
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
8
|
7
|
Linare
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
6
|
8
|
-2
|
6
|
8
|
Kick4Life
|
5
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
-2
|
5
|
9
|
LMPS
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
5
|
6
|
-1
|
4
|
10
|
LDF
|
5
|
0
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
-1
|
4
|
11
|
Liphakoe
|
5
|
0
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
-1
|
4
|
12
|
Likila United
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
8
|
-4
|
4
|
13
|
Sandawana
|
5
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
9
|
-5
|
3
|
14
|
Mphatlalatsane
|
5
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
9
|
-7
|
2
|
