Quote of the week

“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are.” – Muhammad Ali

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Vodacom Premier League - Week 7 Talking Points

It was a shortened Vodacom Premier League weekend, but there were still some talking points.
Tough times...
LDF captain Molefe Lekoekoe
LDF fall into relegation zone
For many people this weekend saw something they have never seen in their lifetimes; LDF in the relegation zone. There was a time when LDF was the most feared team in Lesotho. Sohle-Sohle won three consecutive league titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and added further titles in 2001 and 2004. They were the standard everyone sought to follow. Lebajoa Mphongoa, Malefetsane Pheko, Motheo Mohapi and Masupha Majara, amongst others, were part of that all-conquering LDF side. In 2001, the army side beat Botswana’s Mogoditshane Fighters in the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League. In the next round LDF held TP Mazembe 1-1 at home but lost the tie 3-1. That remains the last time a Lesotho team has progressed past the preliminary round of Africa’s premier club competition.

Things have changed drastically, however. LDF are no longer the same force and they are struggling. Saturday’s 1-0 defeat away to Sandawana has dropped Sohle-Sohle to second from bottom in the league. They remain winless after seven games and have scored just two goals.

The chief reason for their demise is clear; it is a fall in quality. At one time the Lesotho squad was built around LDF players. Today only Molefe Lekoekoe and Mojela Letsie are Likuena internationals in the LDF squad and neither has featured for the national side for over a year.

Sohle-Sohle, eight-time league champions, haven’t won a trophy since 2008 and this weekend marked their nadir. They won’t be relegated but LDF have tumbled badly and there has to be serious introspection at Ratjomose as to the purpose of the club.

Rovers take advantage of shortened fixture list
The shortened weekend fixtures due to Likuena’s World Cup qualifiers against Comoros gave a chance for the sides in action to steal a march on the competition. Rovers did just that with a 2-1 win over Mphatlalatsane on Sunday. The victory cemented their top four spot at this early stage of the season. The Dynamites have been brilliant in their return to the top-flight. They have lost only once in their seven games – a tough 1-0 reverse at home against Linare – and are already ten points clear of the bottom places. So far, so great.

Kick4Life using same formula

Kick4Life, steady as she goes
Last season Kick4Life quietly gathered points at the start of the season. By the halfway stage of the 2014/15 campaign they were in seventh place with 15 points. Although they only managed to pick up a further 10 points the rest of the way, Kick4Life had done enough to secure survival. 

In their second season in the top-flight, Motlalepula Majoro’s side is leaning on the same methods again. Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Likila United lifted them to sixth with nine points from a possible 21. It is not an overly impressive haul but it is steady enough. That’s symbolic of their season. Kick4Life haven’t hit any heights but they are steadily collecting points.

Week 7 Results
Saturday
Linare 2-2 LMPS
Sandawana 1-0 LDF
Sunday
Kick4Life 1-1 Likila United
Mphatlalatsane 1-2 Rovers

Vodacom Premier League Table


P
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
Lioli
6
5
1
0
11
2
9
16
2
Likhopo
6
4
2
0
12
2
10
14
3
Rovers
7
4
2
1
7
4
3
14
4
Matlama
6
4
1
1
11
6
5
13
5
LCS
6
3
1
2
4
4
0
10
6
Kick4life
7
2
3
2
5
6
-1
9
7
Bantu
6
2
2
2
4
4
0
8
8
Likila United
7
2
2
3
7
9
-2
8
9
Liphakoe
6
1
4
1
2
2
0
7
10
Linare
7
2
1
4
8
11
-3
7
11
Sandawana
7
1
3
3
5
10
-5
6
12
LMPS
7
1
2
4
7
9
-2
5
13
LDF
7
0
4
3
2
6
-4
4
14
Mphatlalatsane
7
0
2
5
3
13
-10
2

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