 |
| Bantu fans will be hoping their heroes bounce back against this weekend Linare... |
The weekend is here and that means it is
time for another round of Econet Premier League action.
We are officially entering the business
end of the campaign as things get increasingly serious.
With the league down to 13 clubs this
season thanks to Sundawana’s expulsion, it means by the end of this weekend every
team will have less than nine games to play until the end of the campaign.
Every point counts now and here are
three subplots to watch out for in this weekend’s serving of drama.
Can
Bantu bounce back?
Last Sunday, Econet Premier League
champions Bantu suffered a crushing 4-2 home defeat to Swaziland’s Mbabane
Swallows in their CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg tie. The
loss puts Bantu’s continental hopes in serious jeopardy and, given the optimism
around the team, before the game, it is a major disappointment.
The second leg is next Wednesday but A Matšo Matebele will travel to Swaziland
needing nothing short of a miracle to progress.
In the meantime, Bantu have to refocus
on the bread and butter of the Econet Premier League with a game against Linare on
Saturday at Setsoto Stadium.
Given the nature of their loss to
Mbabane Swallows, the encounter against Linare is a dangerous game for the league
leaders. Tse Tala are enjoying a promising
run of form, unbeaten in four games winning two. In fact, if it wasn’t for a
three-point deduction for registering late, Linare could be as high as sixth
and maybe in sight of a top four place.
Fortunately for Bantu, however, Linare
are their favourite opponents.
A Matšo
Matebele
have won their last three games against the Leribe side by a combined score of
8-0. In fact, Bantu are unbeaten in the last nine meetings between the teams,
winning seven of them.
|
Bantu’s league dominance over Linare
|
||||
|
24-09-2017
|
Linare
|
0-3
|
Bantu
|
W
|
|
19-02-2017
|
Linare
|
0-2
|
Bantu
|
W
|
|
29-10-2016
|
Bantu
|
3-0
|
Linare
|
W
|
|
24-04-2016
|
Bantu
|
2-2
|
Linare
|
D
|
|
22-11-2015
|
Linare
|
0-1
|
Bantu
|
W
|
|
25-04-2015
|
Linare
|
1-1
|
Bantu
|
D
|
|
07-12-2014
|
Linare
|
0-2
|
Bantu
|
W
|
|
01-05-2014
|
Bantu
|
2-1
|
Linare
|
W
|
|
22-09-2013
|
Linare
|
0-1
|
Bantu
|
W
|
It is Bantu’s best record against any
team in the top-flight and Tse Tala could
turn out to be the perfect tonic for the Mafeteng side’s Champions League
hangover.
 |
| Bantu can extend their lead at the top if they continue their dominance over Linare... |
Will
Sefotha-fotha maintain their unbeaten run?
Which team has the longest running unbeaten
run in the league? Bantu? Matlama? Kick4Life? Nope. The correct answer is actually
Sefotha-fotha. Sefotha-fotha haven’t lost in seven games since a 3-2 defeat to
Linare on November 5.
The new boys recovered after a nervous
start when they lost their first three games and five of their first seven. Slowly
they have climbed to 15 points from 14 games. Key to the turnaround has been
their defence. Sefotha-fotha have conceded just four goals in their last seven games
and their tally of three clean-sheets in that period is only matched by
Kick4Life.
And to their credit, that run has
included games against some strong teams. In their last six matches
Sefotha-fotha have held the likes of Bantu, Kick4Life, LCS and Lioli.
|
Sefotha-fotha
last seven matches
|
||||
|
18/11/17
|
Likhopo
|
1-1
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
D
|
|
25/11/17
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
1-1
|
Lioli
|
D
|
|
02/12/17
|
LCS
|
0-1
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
W
|
|
17/12/17
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
1-0
|
Sky Battalion
|
W
|
|
14/01/18
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
1-1
|
Kick4Life
|
D
|
|
28/01/18
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
0-0
|
Bantu
|
D
|
|
03/02/18
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
0-0
|
LMPS
|
D
|
Sefotha-fotha face another tough test on
Saturday at the LCS Stadium when they play host to LDF. Sohle-Sohle will be going into the game on a high after beating
Lioli two weeks ago and then coming from behind to draw with rivals LCS last
weekend.
Another positive result for
Sefotha-fotha against LDF would go a long way towards sealing their survival.
Can
Lioli get their first win under Morena Ramorebodi?
 |
| Lioli will be searching for their first win of 2018 this weekend... |
Things haven’t exactly gone according to
plan for new Lioli coach Morena Ramorebodi. Tse
Nala haven’t won in three games under the South African coach, losing twice
and when it comes to challenging for the league title, the pressure is mounting.
Lioli are seven points behind leaders
Bantu and have dropped to third place on the log. The Teyateyaneng giants can’t
afford to lose any more ground to their Mafeteng rivals.
Getting their first win under Ramorebodi
this weekend won’t be easy, however with Lioli travelling to Mohale’s Hoek to
face a Majantja side that is sitting in sixth place in the league.
|
Lioli’s
incredible league record since 2012/13:
|
|||||||||
|
Season
|
Position
|
GP
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
Pts.
|
Teams in Premier League
|
|
2012-13
|
1
|
22
|
13
|
7
|
2
|
30
|
10
|
46
|
12
|
|
2013-14
|
2
|
26
|
17
|
3
|
6
|
41
|
17
|
54
|
14
|
|
2014-15
|
1
|
26
|
19
|
6
|
1
|
49
|
7
|
63
|
14
|
|
2015-16
|
1
|
26
|
17
|
8
|
1
|
40
|
11
|
59
|
14
|
|
2016-17
|
2
|
26
|
19
|
3
|
4
|
49
|
11
|
60
|
14
|
|
2017-18
|
3
|
14
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
21
|
11
|
26
|
13
|
Moreover, it is a time of upheaval in
Teyateyaneng.
Last month Lioli made six new signings adding
defender Tšeliso Ramathe from Matlama, midfielder Nkopane Ntoi from Likhopo,
goalkeeper Tshilo Tshilo from Liphakoe and three players from South Africa – striker
Josef Lekata from Amazulu, Tshediso Mosikidi from Carara Kicks and Tebelo
Mofokeng from Tsiame United.
Lioli also released seven players – goalkeepers
Mohau Kuenane and Richard Ormbush, attackers Bafokeng Mosala, Tankiso Tabi,
Teboho Lekhooa, Cameroonian striker Junior Maba and long-serving midfielder Motlalepula
Mofolo.
Understandably it will take time for Lioli’s
remade squad to click. But, unfortunately, time is not a luxury teams and
coaches have at the top.
Weekend
Fixtures:
Saturday
Liphakoe v Sky Battalion (LCS Stadium,
13:00)
Sefotha-fotha v LDF (LCS Stadium, 15:00)
Bantu v Linare (Setsoto Stadium, 15:00)
Sunday
Majantja v Lioli (Mohale’s Hoek, 15:00)
LCS v Kick4Life (LCS Stadium, 15:00)
Matlama v Likhopo (Ratjomose, 15:00)
Econet Premier League Standings:
|
|
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts.
|
|
1
|
Bantu
|
14
|
10
|
3
|
1
|
26
|
7
|
+19
|
33
|
|
2
|
Matlama
|
15
|
8
|
5
|
2
|
17
|
9
|
+8
|
29
|
|
3
|
Lioli
|
14
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
21
|
11
|
+10
|
26
|
|
4
|
LDF
|
15
|
6
|
6
|
3
|
18
|
13
|
+5
|
24
|
|
5
|
Kick4Life
|
15
|
6
|
6
|
3
|
17
|
12
|
+5
|
24
|
|
6
|
Majantja
|
15
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
14
|
15
|
-1
|
20
|
|
7
|
LMPS
|
14
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
15
|
15
|
+0
|
19
|
|
8
|
LCS
|
14
|
4
|
6
|
4
|
11
|
9
|
+2
|
18
|
|
9
|
Linare
|
15
|
6
|
3
|
6
|
15
|
18
|
-3
|
18
|
|
10
|
Liphakoe
|
15
|
5
|
1
|
9
|
14
|
22
|
-8
|
16
|
|
11
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
14
|
3
|
6
|
5
|
9
|
15
|
-6
|
15
|
|
12
|
Likhopo
|
15
|
2
|
4
|
9
|
10
|
22
|
-12
|
10
|
|
13
|
Sky
Battalion
|
15
|
0
|
2
|
13
|
4
|
23
|
-19
|
-4
|
·
Linare docked 3 points for late
registration
·
Sky Battalion docked 6 points for late
registration
No comments:
Post a Comment