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| Lioli and Kick4Life will have plenty to play for when they meet on Saturday... |
Thanks to Bantu’s
much-awaited CAF Champions League date with Mbabane Swallows on Sunday, all of this
weekend’s Econet Premier League games will be played on Saturday. With the
champions off from league duty, their nearest challengers have a chance to eat
into A Matšo Matebele’s seven-point
lead.
Here is a look
at this weekend’s standout games.
Sky
Battalion v Matlama (PTC Ground, 16:00)
Matlama have enjoyed
a strong start to 2018 and are all of a sudden the closest challengers to
leaders Bantu on the Econet Premier League log.
Tse
Putsoa
are unbeaten in four matches in 2018 winning twice. Thanks this solid run of
form, Matlama are second in the table with 25 points from 14 games. Granted,
the Pitso Ground outfit still find themselves seven points behind Bantu, but
they are in a much better position than last October when Mosito Matela took
over from Seephephe Matete as coach.
In the 10 games under
Matela since, Matlama have been in championship form. Tse Putsoa have won six times, lost just once and no team has
picked up more points than Matlama’s 21 in that period.
Matlama since Matela took over
|
||||
15/10/17
|
LCS
|
0-1
|
Matlama
|
W
|
22/10/17
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
1-1
|
Matlama
|
D
|
29/10/17
|
Matlama
|
2-0
|
LMPS
|
W
|
18/11/17
|
Kick4Life
|
0-1
|
Matlama
|
W
|
26/11/17
|
Matlama
|
2-1
|
Majantja
|
W
|
03/12/17
|
Bantu
|
4-2
|
Matlama
|
L
|
14/01/18
|
Matlama
|
0-0
|
Lioli
|
D
|
21/01/18
|
Matlama
|
1-0
|
LDF
|
W
|
28/01/18
|
Liphakoe
|
1-3
|
Matlama
|
W
|
03/02/18
|
Matlama
|
1-1
|
Linare
|
D
|
Form guide since
Matela took over as Matlama coach:
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
Pts.
|
||
1
|
Bantu
|
10
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
16
|
7
|
21
|
2
|
Matlama
|
10
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
14
|
8
|
21
|
3
|
Kick4Life
|
10
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
13
|
6
|
19
|
4
|
Lioli
|
10
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
15
|
9
|
18
|
5
|
LDF
|
10
|
4
|
5
|
1
|
14
|
8
|
17
|
The main reason
for their stellar progression has been their defence which has conceded nine
goals, the third best record in the league behind Bantu (7) and LCS (8).
Marshalled by 2017 COSAFA Under-20 Championships goalkeeper of the tournament Monaheng Ramalefane, Matlama have kept five clean-sheets in their last
10 games.
What had been
lacking, however, was their attack as Matlama finished 2017 having only scored
10 league goals.
 |
| Mabuti Potloane and Matlama face Sky Battalion... |
That appears to
be improving in 2018. Matlama signed Lesotho international attackers Lehlomela
Ramabele and Katleho Moleko in January and in their last three games they have
scored five goals, their best output of the season.
Most promising
has been the return to form of striker Motebang Sera who has scored three times
already in 2018. Sera and Jane Thaba-Ntšo, who has also looked sharper since
the turn of the year, were the main weapons when Matlama came within a whisker
of winning the league in 2016 finish a point behind Lioli.
Sera was the league’s
top scorer that year and if Matlama are to find the required balance between defence
and offence, the Likuena striker has to be at his bulldozing best again.
Saturday’s opponents
Sky Battalion offer the best chance for Matlama’s attack to continue its steady
improvement and attempt to round into title challenging form.
Sky Battalion are bottom of the league. They have
conceded the most goals this season (21) and are yet to win a game.
Not only is the
game a must-win for Matlama to keep some sort of pressure on Bantu, it is also a
match in which they will want to eat into A
Matšo Matebele’s goal difference advantage at the top.
LDF v LCS (Ratjomose Ground, 16:00)
 |
| Will LCS fans be celebrating a win against rivals LDF? |
About 10 or 15
years ago LCS versus LDF was the most important game of Lesotho’s league season.
Apart from Matlama, LDF, with eight titles, and LCS (with six) are the country’s
most successful clubs.
However, times
have changed.
Masheshena haven’t won the
league since 2012 while LDF’s drought dates back to 2004 and when they meet on Saturday
they will be scrapping just to maintain positioning in the race for a top four
place.
Both teams are
not in great form right now. LCS have only won once in their seven league games
while LDF’s 1-0 upset of Lioli last weekend was their first win in four matches.
So, who will
come out on top on Saturday? Well, LDF (fourth, with 23 points from 14 games) are
higher in the standings and are having a better season than Masheshena who are seventh with 17
points from 14 outings.
Also potentially
decisive is the venue for Saturday’s encounter – Ratjomose.
Despite their recent
dip, LDF – as has always been the case – are very tough to beat at Ratjomose.
In fact, over the past five games Sohle-Sohle
own the league’s best home record.
Home form – last 5 games:
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
Pts.
|
||
1
|
LDF
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
8
|
3
|
11
|
2
|
Matlama
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
6
|
2
|
11
|
3
|
Bantu
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
11
|
6
|
10
|
4
|
Linare
|
5
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
8
|
6
|
9
|
5
|
Kick4Life
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
6
|
3
|
8
|
Kick4Life v Lioli (LCS Ground, 16:00)
 |
| The match of the day: Kick4Life v Lioli |
The match of the
day, however, will take place at the LCS Grounds where Kick4Life will host
Lioli. There is plenty at stake in this game:
-
A loss for Lioli would seriously damage any
realistic title hopes
-
Kick4Life are looking for their
first-ever league win over Lioli
-
A win for Kick4Life would see them
leapfrog Lioli
-
If they lose, Lioli could drop out of
the top four
If Lioli do end
the weekend outside the top four it would be the first time they are below
fourth place at this stage of a season since the 2010/11 campaign. Tse Nala, to be remembered, have
finished in the top two for the last five seasons.
They won the
league in 2013, 2015 and 2016 and finished second to Bantu in 2014 and last
year.
But Lioli are not
in a good moment right now. Tse Nala
have won just once in their last five matches. That run includes a series of disappointments
such as drawing with newly-promoted Sefotha-fotha, being outplayed by title rivals Bantu in a
2-1 defeat and losing at home in Teyateyaneng to LDF.
It has been a
rough time recently and things haven’t improved under new coach Morena
Ramorebodi who was hired at the beginning of January to turn things around.
Lioli’s
recent form:
|
15/10/17
|
Lioli
|
1-1
|
LCS
|
D
|
|
22/10/17
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
1-1
|
Lioli
|
D
|
|
29/10/17
|
Lioli
|
2-1
|
LMPS
|
W
|
|
18/11/17
|
Lioli
|
1-2
|
Bantu
|
L
|
|
26/11/17
|
Matlama
|
0-0
|
Lioli
|
D
|
|
03/12/17
|
Lioli
|
0-1
|
LDF
|
L
|
Whatever their troubles, however, Lioli need all three points against Kick4Life if they are to keep pace with Bantu. Tse Nala, with 25 points from 13 games, enter the weekend in third place, eight points adrift of A Matšo Matebele though Lioli do have a game in hand.
In effect,
however, Kick4Life is that game in hand and Lioli have to win it.
It won’t be easy.
While Lioli have
floundered of late, Kick4Life have slowly turned their season around. After just
one win in their opening five matches, Leslie Notši’s side are now the Econet
Premier League’s form side having won three and drawn two of their last five
games.
Form guide – last 5 games:
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
Pts.
|
||
1
|
Kick4Life
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
8
|
2
|
11
|
2
|
Bantu
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
9
|
4
|
11
|
3
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
9
|
4
|
LDF
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
6
|
4
|
8
|
5
|
Matlama
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
7
|
6
|
8
|
It is that form
that will give them confidence of getting their first-ever win over Lioli in
the league. Yes. Kick4Life have never beaten Lioli since they were promoted to
the top-lfight in 2014.
Lioli v
Kick4Life league head-to-head
17/09/17
|
Lioli 3-1 Kick4Life
|
05/03/17
|
Lioli 1-0 Kick4Life
|
12/11/16
|
Kick4Life 1-4 Lioli
|
23/04/16
|
Kick4Life 0-1 Lioli
|
21/11/15
|
Lioli 0-0 Kick4Life
|
25/04/15
|
Lioli 1-0 Kick4Life
|
06/12/14
|
Kick4Life 0-2 Lioli
|
So, clearly, there will be a lot to play for at the
LCS Grounds on Saturday. Both Kick4Life and Lioli have plenty at stake.
Weekend Fixtures:
Likhopo v Majantja (Ratjomose Ground, 14:00)
LDF v LCS (Ratjomose Ground, 16:00)
Kick4Life v Lioli (LCS Ground, 16:00)
Sky Battalion v Matlama (PTC Ground, 16:00)
Linare v Liphakoe (Maputsoe DiFA Stadium, 16:00)
Econet Premier
League Standings
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts.
|
||
1
|
Bantu
|
14
|
10
|
3
|
1
|
26
|
7
|
+19
|
33
|
2
|
Matlama
|
14
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
15
|
9
|
+6
|
26
|
3
|
Lioli
|
13
|
7
|
4
|
2
|
20
|
10
|
+10
|
25
|
4
|
LDF
|
14
|
6
|
5
|
3
|
17
|
12
|
+5
|
23
|
5
|
Kick4Life
|
14
|
6
|
5
|
3
|
16
|
11
|
+5
|
23
|
6
|
LMPS
|
14
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
15
|
15
|
+0
|
19
|
7
|
LCS
|
13
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
10
|
8
|
+2
|
17
|
8
|
Majantja
|
14
|
4
|
5
|
5
|
12
|
15
|
-3
|
17
|
9
|
Liphakoe
|
14
|
5
|
1
|
8
|
14
|
21
|
-7
|
16
|
10
|
Linare
|
14
|
5
|
3
|
6
|
14
|
18
|
-4
|
15
|
11
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
14
|
3
|
6
|
5
|
9
|
15
|
-6
|
15
|
12
|
Likhopo
|
14
|
2
|
4
|
8
|
10
|
20
|
-10
|
10
|
13
|
Sky Battalion
|
14
|
0
|
2
|
12
|
4
|
21
|
-17
|
-4
|
·
Linare
docked 3 points for late registration
·
Sky
Battalion docked 6 points for late registration
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