 |
| Title chasers... Kick4Life's Tšeliso Sejake tries to evade Lioli's Mafa Moremoholo |
If the first half
of the Vodacom Premier League season was anything to go by then the second half
of the season is going to be a humdinger.
It was a first half
where there were surprises on an almost weekly basis and it has set us up for
what should be an exciting second half of the campaign.
The surprises
went all the way to last weekend’s final match-day when Matlama surprised
league leaders Bantu 1-0 who had themselves leapfrogged Kick4Life and Lioli in December.
As things stand, the title race is so wide open that LMPS in fifth place, LCS,
sixth, and maybe even Matlama in seventh place can still have a say.
With that being
the case, the deciding key will most likely be consistency.
In the first
round no team managed to have a definitive run of form, especially as the games
started piling up at the tail-end of 2016. Kick4Life did an excellent job and
held the lead for eight weeks between September and November but a dip in form
over the final four games led to Kick4Life’s current third place in the standings.
More than others
in recent times, this season feels as if will come down to the smallest margins
because all the top sides have question marks to their names.
Bantu are on top
but they have looked vulnerable in the big games. A Matšo Matebele lost to Matlama and Kick4Life and drew with Lioli
in their biggest tests of the season so far and scoring goals has also been a
problem for Mafeteng giants of late. Bantu have only four goals in their last
five games.
Bantu’s
last five league games:
17/11/16
|
Sky Battalion 0-0 Bantu
|
20/11/16
|
Bantu 0-0 Sundawana
|
27/11/16
|
Bantu 2-1 LCS
|
04/12/16
|
Liphakoe 0-2 Bantu
|
07/01/17
|
Matlama 1-0 Bantu
|
Champions Lioli,
in second place, still possess the best team in Lesotho but they are still
adjusting to life under Halemakale Mahlaha. Tse
Nala also have the distraction of the CAF Champions League coming up in
February.
Kick4Life, for
their part, have probably been the most consistent team in 2016/17 but the
depth of their squad will be tested when the season resumes. The question also
remains if Leslie Notši’s side can beat the top teams. Yes, Kick4Life beat
Bantu but they were thoroughly outplayed 4-1 by Lioli and they also lost to
LMPS.
Meanwhile, LCS,
in fifth place, have the pedigree. But, do they really have the quality?
Matlama started
life under Seephephe Matete with an impressive win over Bantu. But, can they
consistently maintain the same level of performance?
The second round
will give all the answers and it should be fascinating.
 |
| The secound round begins this weekend... |
Other
talking points for the second round:
How
will Sundawana’s weird season end up?
Last season
Sundawana were the darlings of the Vodacom Premier League as they finished
fourth in the league against all expectations.
However, the
2016/17 season has been a different kettle of fish altogether. Sundawana had no
wins in their opening six matches and were just two points above the relegation
zone. Tse Bo Yellow were then outclassed
in their Independence Cup debut in October, losing 4-1 to Lioli and eventually
finishing last in the four-team tournament.
It was a difficult
transition period to start the campaign for the club after last season’s
miracle coach Bob Mafoso left to join Bantu’s coaching staff in the off-season.
In addition, last year’s top scorer Roboama Koloti was not available because of
training at the police service, their best defender Motlomelo Mkhwanazi went
AWOL and club skipper Johannes ‘Mathoho’ Molapo was ruled out of action until
the New Year after fracturing his leg.
Sundawana were
in real adversity and at the end of October they parted ways with coach Sidwell
Mothea. Sundawana, however, have found better form and that is a credit to the
players and new coach Lehlohonolo “Freeze” Ntene.
Since October 9,
Tse Bo Yellow are on an unbeaten a
run of seven matches which is the longest such streak in the league. The
challenge for Sundawana now is to start turning their draws into wins. If they
can do that, another run at a top four place may not be out of the question.
Sundawana, now in ninth place, have 16 points, eight points behind fourth spot.
Once again they are hard to beat and an underdog with some bite.
Can
Sky Battalion continue their surprise season?
Despite
Kick4Life’s heroics, the biggest surprise of the season so far is Sky
Battalion. SK were only promoted in May but they are three points off the top
of the table. While mounting a title challenge still appears far-fetched, Sky
Battalion are in a good position to make a run for fourth place.
Sky’s
Battalion’s next three games
15 January:
Sundawana v Sky Battalion
21 January: Sky
Battalion v LCS
29 January:
Sky Battalion v Linare
|
Sky Battalion’s
next three games do look challenging, but if they can come out of them with
five or six points, they would be content. Consolidating their excellent start
is SK’s biggest challenge in the second half of the season.
 |
| Sky Battalion have been this season's surprise package |
Will
Butha-Buthe Warriors produce a miracle?
Every week in
the first round was seemingly a bad one for Butha-Buthe Warriors as the new
boys inched closer and closer to a swift relegation. Alarmingly, Butha-Buthe
Warriors are on course for the worst league campaign in over a decade.
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
|
2016/17
|
Butha-Buthe
Warriors
|
13
|
2
|
0.15
|
Their two points from 13 games is an average of 0.15
points which is worse than the 0.27 managed by a woeful Sekamemang Young Stars
in the 2008/09 season. Butha-Buthe Warriors were completely outclassed in the
first round. They scored just eight goals in 13 games and conceded a whopping
38.
Butha-Buthe
Warriors’ next three games
14 January: Butha-Buthe
Warriors v Kick4Life
21 January: Butha-Buthe
Warriors v Bantu
29 January: Matlama
v Butha-Buthe Warriors
|
If they don’t
improve, the Butha-Buthe side will be going straight back down to the first
division. As things stand, Warriors need a miracle; their next three games are
against teams in the title hunt.
Weekend Fixtures
Saturday 14 January
LCS v Linare (15:00, LCS)
Liphakoe v Rovers (15:00, Quthing)
Butha-Buthe Warriors v Kick4Life (15:00, Maputsoe
DiFA Stadium)
Sunday 15 January
Sundawana v Sky Battalion (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA
Stadium)
Lioli v LDF (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
LMPS v Matlama (15:00, PTC)
Bantu v Likhopo (15:00, Mafeteng)
Vodacom Premier League Standings
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts.
|
||
1
|
Bantu
|
13
|
8
|
3
|
2
|
20
|
5
|
15
|
27
|
2
|
Lioli
|
13
|
8
|
2
|
3
|
25
|
8
|
17
|
26
|
3
|
Kick4Life
|
13
|
8
|
2
|
3
|
24
|
14
|
10
|
26
|
4
|
Sky Battalion
|
13
|
7
|
3
|
3
|
17
|
10
|
7
|
24
|
5
|
LMPS
|
13
|
6
|
5
|
2
|
12
|
7
|
5
|
23
|
6
|
LCS
|
13
|
6
|
4
|
3
|
15
|
13
|
2
|
22
|
7
|
Matlama
|
13
|
6
|
5
|
2
|
17
|
7
|
10
|
20
|
8
|
LDF
|
13
|
5
|
5
|
3
|
12
|
9
|
3
|
17
|
9
|
Sundawana
|
13
|
3
|
7
|
3
|
11
|
11
|
0
|
16
|
10
|
Linare
|
13
|
3
|
5
|
5
|
21
|
19
|
2
|
14
|
11
|
Liphakoe
|
13
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
10
|
17
|
-7
|
12
|
12
|
Rovers
|
13
|
2
|
2
|
9
|
8
|
23
|
-15
|
8
|
13
|
Likhopo
|
13
|
1
|
2
|
10
|
6
|
22
|
-16
|
5
|
14
|
Butha-Buthe
Warriors
|
13
|
0
|
2
|
11
|
8
|
38
|
-30
|
2
|
·
Matlama docked 3 points
·
LDF docked 3 points and 3 goals
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