Week 5 Wrap - A good weekend for Lioli

Week 5 of the Vodacom Premier League was another intriguing one. As usual, it was a good weekend for some and no so good for others.

It was a good weekend for…

Lioli's Tšepo Seturumane had a
good weekend.

Lioli

It wasn’t just a good weekend for Lioli, it was a great one. The champions are right back in the thick of things after looking shaky just a few weeks ago. Back-to-back wins over Sky Battalion (last week) and Liphakoe (on Sunday) have lifted Lioli up to second place in the Vodacom Premier League. More importantly, there suddenly appears to be more vigour to Tse Nala.

After a slow to start to the season, the champions again showed signs of improvement against Liphakoe and the 2-0 win at the LCS Stadium was sealed with a first half goal from captain Tšoanelo Koetle and a late strike from Lekhanya Lekhanya.

Lioli clearly still have to do more adjusting to life under Halemakale Mahlaha. Nonetheless, Tse Nala are just three points off the top and within striking distance of leaders LMPS. It is much better position to be in for the champions.

Lioli starting XI v Liphakoe

1. Liteboho Mokhehle 2. Mafa Moremoholo 3. Itumeleng Leche 4. Kopano Tseka 5. Salebone Lekhooa 6. Tšoanelo Koetle (captain) 7. Lekhanya Lekhanya 8. Bushy Moletsane 9. Junior Maba 10. Tumelo Khutlang 11. Tšepo Seturumane Substitutes Kananelo Makhooane Motlalepula Mofolo Obakeng Modirwa Setho Moshoeshoe Montoeli Sonopo Tšepo Lekhoana Thapelo Tale

LMPS

There is a new leader in the Vodacom Premier League clubhouse after the weekend’s action. LMPS are top of the league thanks to a 2-0 win over Rovers coupled with Kick4Life’s unexpected loss to Sky Battalion. And there are many reasons for LMPS fans to be excited right now.

Number on the list is the fact coach Mosito Matela appears to be moulding a complete unit. Five matches have been played this season but LMPS are still to concede a goal and at the end they have a striker in hot form. Tefa Makhoana notched a brace in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Rovers. He now has four goals in five games. This is a time-honoured recipe for success: score goals and don’t concede them.

Things are looking good at PTC.

Sky Battalion

In the last three seasons the average points total for 12th place and survival from relegation is 23.7 points. Newly-promoted Sky Battalion have already collected over a third of that in just five games.

12th place points total since 2014

Season	Team	Points
2013/14	Mphatlalatsane	23
2014/15	Mphatlalatsane	25
2015/16	Rovers	25

SK have a laudable three wins from five games for nine points. Their latest victory was their most impressive as they beat previously undefeated Kick4Life 3-2 in an exciting affair on Saturday. The hero on the day was Tsietsi Motšeare who struck a fantastic hattrick. But if there is one thing to be taken from SK’s performance against Kick4Life and their start to the start overall, it is that their early success is due to a total team effort.

The new boys have prepared well for life in the Vodacom Premier League and it is so far, so good in their quest to remain in the top-flight.

It was also a good weekend for SK (in red)

It was a bad weekend for…

Butha-Buthe Warriors

It is still early but it looks as though newly-promoted Butha-Buthe Warriors are out of their depth.

The complete opposite of Sky Battalion, Warriors are not coping with the step up to the top league at all. Warriors have already conceded 12 goals in five games and have only scored twice.

They have already suffered 5-0 and 4-0 massacres (to Kick4Life and Bantu respectively) and endured further disappointment on Sunday in a sloppy 2-1 defeat to Likhopo at the Maputsoe DiFA Stadium. This coming Sunday the Butha-Buthe side travels to Quthing to face Liphakoe and, as early as it is, Warriors have to get something from the game.

They are in danger of repeating their last stay in the top-flight.

A decade ago, Warriors collected only 11 points from 30 matches while the premiership still had 16 teams. They conceded 75 goals and their 0.37 points per game average was one of the worst of the past ten years.

Lowest Premier League points totals since 2005/06

Season	Team	Games	Points	Average points per game
2006/07	Butha-Buthe Warriors	30	11	0.37
2008/09	Sekamaneng Young Stars	30	8	0.27
2009/10	Butha-Buthe Roses	30	10	0.30
2010/11	Mabeoana	26	9	0.35
2013/14	Melele	26	12	0.46
2013/14	Joy	26	10	0.38
2014/15	Qoaling Highlanders	26	9	0.35

LCS and LDF

The uninspired goalless draw between the sides on Sunday showed how far the former juggernauts have fallen in the championship stakes. Even though LCS finished third last season they haven’t really been in the headlines and predictions for this term. That honour has gone to Lioli, Matlama and Bantu and even Kick4Life lately.

Sunday’s game showed why. LCS said they want to win the league, their first since 2012, but it is difficult to see how they will achieve this given their lack of firepower. LDF, on the other, continue to look very much like a mid-table team. But maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise. The eight-time champions haven’t finished in the top four since 2013.

Lesotho’s facilities

Saturday’s highly-anticipated clash between Matlama and Bantu had to be postponed because there was a church service at Setsoto Stadium all weekend.

It is a disappointment to fans that a match of such magnitude has to be shelved because there are not enough adequate facilities in the country. And this lack of facilities is a pressing matter as Lesotho celebrates 50 years of independence.

Weekend Results:

Saturday, 1 October

Sundawana 1-1 Linare

LCS 0-0 LDF

LMPS 2-0 Rovers

Matlama v Bantu (Postponed)

Sunday, 2 October

Butha-Buthe Warriors 1-2 Likhopo

Sky Battalion 3-2 Kick4Life

Lioli 2-0 Liphakoe

Leading Scorers:

4 goals

Maba Junior (Lioli)

Tsietsi Motšeare (Sky Battalion)

Tefa Makhoana (LMPS)

Thabiso Brown (Kick4Life)

3 goals            

Morapeli Lesoetsa (Kick4Life)

Leboneng Moqecho (LCS)

Litšepe Marabe (Bantu)

Nzenze Nkulu (Linare)

Vodacom Premier League Standings:

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts.
1	LMPS	5	4	1	0	5	0	5	13
2	Kick4Life	5	4	0	1	12	4	8	12
3	Lioli	5	3	1	1	6	2	4	10
4	Bantu	4	3	0	1	8	2	6	9
5	Sky Battalion	5	3	0	2	6	7	-1	9
6	LCS	5	2	2	1	5	3	2	8
7	Liphakoe	5	2	2	1	4	2	0	8
8	Matlama	4	1	3	0	4	3	1	6
9	Linare	5	1	2	2	8	6	2	5
10	LDF	5	0	4	1	3	4	-1	4
11	Likhopo	5	1	1	3	3	6	-3	4
12	Sundawana	5	0	3	2	3	5	-2	3
13	Rovers	5	0	1	4	3	12	-9	1
14	Butha-Buthe Warriors	5	0	0	5	2	14	-12	0