Celebration time for Bantu... |
Bantu are this year’s Christmas champions after a set
of unexpected results allowed A Matšo
Matebele to leapfrog Lioli and Kick4Life to the top of the Vodacom Premier
League to finish 2016.
Heading into the weekend, Lioli and Kick4Life, who
were joint leaders, and Bantu, who were third, all had the opportunity to
finish the first round on top of the league.
Kick4Life had the first chance to make a move but were
shocked 2-1 by LMPS on Saturday at the LCS Stadium. Kick4Life’s slip meant
Lioli had the opportunity to open a gap at the top but they were also upset by
LCS as Masheshena ran out 1-0 winners
at the LCS Stadium
The slip-ups gave Bantu the chance to go top and the Mafeteng
giants took full advantage beating Liphakoe 2-0 on Sunday in Quthing with the
in-form Hlompho Kalake on the score-sheet again. Thanks to the weekend’s
results Bantu are top with 27 points. Lioli and Kick4Life follow with 26 points
with Lioli in second thanks to a superior goal difference.
Bantu will start 2017 in pole position for the league
championship, and they have a game in hand.
Weekend Vodacom
Premier League Results:
Saturday, 03 December
Kick4Life 1-2 LMPS
Sky Battalion 2-1 Matlama
Likhopo 1-1 Linare
LCS 1-0 Lioli
Sunday, 04 December
LDF 5-2 Butha-Buthe Warriors
Liphakoe 0-2 Bantu
Rovers 0-1 Sundawana
Vodacom Premier League Standings
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts.
|
||
1
|
Bantu
|
12
|
8
|
3
|
1
|
20
|
4
|
16
|
27
|
2
|
Lioli
|
13
|
8
|
2
|
3
|
25
|
8
|
17
|
26
|
3
|
Kick4Life
|
13
|
8
|
2
|
3
|
25
|
15
|
10
|
26
|
4
|
Sky
Battalion
|
13
|
7
|
3
|
3
|
17
|
10
|
10
|
24
|
5
|
LMPS
|
13
|
6
|
5
|
2
|
12
|
7
|
5
|
23
|
6
|
LCS
|
13
|
6
|
4
|
3
|
15
|
13
|
2
|
22
|
7
|
Matlama
|
12
|
5
|
5
|
2
|
13
|
7
|
6
|
17
|
8
|
LDF
|
13
|
5
|
5
|
3
|
12
|
8
|
4
|
17
|
9
|
Sundawana
|
13
|
3
|
7
|
3
|
11
|
11
|
0
|
16
|
10
|
Linare
|
13
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
21
|
19
|
2
|
14
|
11
|
Liphakoe
|
13
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
11
|
18
|
-7
|
12
|
12
|
Rovers
|
13
|
2
|
2
|
9
|
8
|
23
|
-15
|
8
|
13
|
Likhopo
|
13
|
1
|
2
|
10
|
6
|
22
|
-17
|
5
|
14
|
Butha-Buthe
Warriors
|
13
|
0
|
2
|
11
|
8
|
38
|
-30
|
2
|
·
Matlama docked 3 points and 3 goals
·
LDF docked 3 points and 3 goals
Lesotho highlands conquered |
Graham Jarvis
defends Roof of Africa crown
Great Britain’s Graham Jarvis successfully defended
his Roof of Africa crown on Saturday as he beat Spain’s Alfredo Gómez by nine
seconds in a thrilling race. The title was Jarvis’ fourth and he became only
the second rider after South African Alfie Cox to win the crown more than three
times.
It was an eventful back-and-forth at the international
calendar’s final Hard Enduro race of
the year and the 41-year-old Jarvis managed to out-gun a charging Gómez with
South African Scott Bouverie rounding out the podium after three days of brutal
off-road racing.
After starting on Thursday and nearly 400 kilometres
of racing, only nine seconds separated the top two by Saturday’s finish.
The final stage was a classic case of survival of the
fittest as the elder Jarvis, who had more experience of Lesotho’s epic highlands,
gradually wore down the Spaniard Gómez on his first visit to Africa.
Jarvis knew the terrain and riding conditions better
and he played the perfect tactical game. He kept Gómez at bay and pushed the
pace just enough to hurt the Spaniard. Jarvis also managed to keep the charging
group which included the likes of Bouverie and teammate Travis Teasdale, as
well as British young gun Billy Bolt out of reach.
After the race an elated Jarvis admitted luck was on
his side.
“I got about halfway through and realised it would be
a sprint for the line. From the last fuel stop we just went for it though,
there was definitely a bit of luck involved too,” he said.
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