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| Man of form... Lioli striker Maba Junior |
One of quirks of being on top is you
always have to prove yourself and this is the dilemma facing Lioli. If Lioli
were any other team their start to the Vodacom Premier League season would not
be so bad.
But the fact Tse Nala are champions means they are judged by higher standards.
As things stand Lioli are sixth in the
Vodacom Premier League with two wins, a draw and a defeat from their opening four
games. It is not a bad record at all but, because they are champions, it is a
record that has coach Halemakale Mahlaha under scrutiny.
It is a match-to-match pressure and will
be a storyline once again as Lioli face Liphakoe in a mouth-watering Premiership
tie side on Sunday.
Lioli have positives to build on. Striker
Maba Junior is finding form. The Cameroonian joined Lioli in 2012 and
immediately became a hit with Lioli fans. But he endured a barren 2015/16 season
and barely featured as Tse Nala won
the title.
When the club signed Thapelo Tale from
Likhopo and Tšepo Seturumane returned from a loan spell LMPS it looked as if
Junior’s days in Teyateyaneng were numbered.
But the striker has responded well and
he has found form. He is the top scorer in the league with four goals from four
games and he has been a bright spark in Lioli’s stuttering start. With Lioli
five points behind leaders Kick4Life they simply need to keep winning to keep
pace.
Their opponents Liphakoe will not be an
easy prospect. Liphakoe laid out ambitious plans to challenge for the league
title this season. That probably won’t happen. But Liphakoe are playing well
and have clearly learnt from last season which was their first back in the
premiership.
Liphakoe go into the game in fourth place
and ahead of Lioli which in itself is unexpected. And the unpredictable nature
of this start to the season makes this a must watch match.
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| Liphakoe pose difficult opposition for Lioli |
Sundawana
v Linare
There is also an important game in
Maputsoe as Sundawana host Linare at the Maputsoe DiFA Stadium on Saturday.
Linare at last go into a game in high spirits after beating 5-1 last week while
Sundawana, after finishing fourth last season, are still looking for their
first win of this campaign.
Sky
Battalion v Kick4Life
Sky Battalion are where Kick4Life were
used to be; the new boys in the league just looking to survive. How times have
changed for Kick4Life. Promoted in 2014, Kick4Life are top of the Vodacom
Premier League, two points clear of second placed in LMPS. They go into the
game against Sky Battalion as favourites and strengthened by the signing of striker
Nkoto Masoabi after a hassle wrangle for his services with Lioli.
Elsewhere, LMPS will be looking to
continue their fine start to the season when they host a potentially depleted
Rovers side on Saturday at PTC. Several of Rovers’ players have graduations at
the National University of Lesotho this weekend. The university side tried to
get this match against LMPS postponed but had their request refused by the
Premier League.
It means LMPS have the perfect
opportunity to build on their impressive record which sees Semunye yet to concede a goal this season. On Sunday, both
Butha-Buthe Warriors and Likhopo will be looking for their first wins of the
season when they meet at the Maputsoe DiFA Stadium.
Vodacom
Premier League Weekend Fixtures
Saturday, 1 October
Sundawana v Linare (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA
Stadium)
LCS v LDF (15:00, LCS)
LMPS v Rovers (15:00, PTC)
Matlama v Bantu (Postponed)
Sunday, 2 October
Butha-Buthe Warriors v Likhopo (15:00,
Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Sky Battalion v Kick4Life (13:00, LCS)
Lioli v Liphakoe (15:00, LCS)
Vodacom Premier
League Standings
|
|
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts.
|
|
1
|
Kick4Life
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
1
|
9
|
12
|
|
2
|
LMPS
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
10
|
|
3
|
Bantu
|
4
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
8
|
2
|
6
|
9
|
|
4
|
Liphakoe
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
8
|
|
5
|
LCS
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
7
|
|
6
|
Lioli
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
7
|
|
7
|
Matlama
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
6
|
|
8
|
Sky Battalion
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
-2
|
6
|
|
9
|
Linare
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
4
|
|
10
|
LDF
|
4
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
-1
|
3
|
|
11
|
Sundawana
|
4
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
-2
|
2
|
|
12
|
Likhopo
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
5
|
-4
|
1
|
|
13
|
Rovers
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
10
|
-7
|
1
|
|
14
|
Butha-Buthe Warriors
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
1
|
12
|
-11
|
0
|
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