 |
| Bantu are in pole position to win the Econet Premier League title but Lioli are right behind... |
The Econet
Premier League title race is officially a two horse race. With just five rounds
to go until the end of the season, Bantu and Lioli claimed wins over the
weekend that have opened a gap to Matlama in the title chase.
Lioli are second
on the log standings with 41 points, five ahead of Matlama while champions
Bantu are top with 42 points and have a game in hand on Tse Putsoa who were crowned LNIG Top 8 champions last weekend.
All things
considered, Matlama would need a miracle to add to their LNIG Top 8 conquest.
Bantu are still
well control of the title race.
Although the
Mafeteng giants are just a point ahead of Lioli, they also have a game in hand.
In addition, Bantu and Tse Nala are
scheduled to face off at the end of this month and all Bantu really need to do
is avoid defeat and they would be within reach of winning back-to-back league
titles, something only Matlama, Linare, LDF, Likhopo, LCS and Lioli have
achieved.
A
Matšo Matebele are in this position of strength after again
showing their admirable ability to bounce back on Sunday when they beat
Kick4Life 2-1 at the LCS Stadium.
The win came
after Bantu suffered an agonising defeat in the LNIG Top 8 final to Matlama last
weekend and it came against a strong Kick4Life side that had won four of the
previous five meetings between the sides.
Kick4Life had also
gone into Sunday’s without a defeat in the league since losing 1-0 to LCS in
February which was only their only loss in ten games.
It was a fixture
that appeared tricky for Bantu and it seemed possible James Madidilane’s
charges would drop points.
It didn’t turn
out that way, however. Bantu started like a house on fire to take the lead in
the eight minute through Tsietsi Motšeare and then doubled their lead in the
27th minute through Lazola Tjokotjokwana. Kick4Life pulled one back through
Nkoto Masoabi in the 42nd minute but Bantu professionally saw the game out in
the second half despite Kick4Life’s valiant efforts.
One of Bantu’s
hallmarks under Madidilane has been their ability to bounce back from setbacks.
They haven’t suffered
successive defeats since Madidilane took charge in June 2016. The last time A Matšo Matebele lost consecutive
matches was in May 2016 when they lost 3-2 to Kick4Life on May 1 and then went
down 3-2 to Sundawana the following weekend.
This season,
after their painful away goals defeat to Mbabane Swallows in the CAF Champions
League in February, Bantu came back to score five goals in their next two
games. After they were docked three points by the Premier League for fielding ineligible
players in March they beat Likhopo and also reached the LNIG Top 8 finals.
On Sunday, A Matšo Matebele overcame a Kick4Life
side that is fighting for a top four place after losing in the cup final. It is
this type of resiliency that has Bantu once again in control of league crown’s
destiny.
|
Remaining games for title contenders
|
|
|
Bantu
|
Lioli
|
|
21 April - Bantu v Lioli
|
21 April - Bantu v Lioli
|
|
29 April - Majantja v Bantu
|
28 April - LCS v Lioli
|
|
5 May -
Bantu v LCS
|
6 May -
Lioli v Sefotha-fotha
|
|
12 May - Matlama v Bantu
|
12 May - LMPS v Lioli
|
|
To
be rescheduled:
LDF v Bantu
LMPS v Bantu
|
To
be rescheduled:
Lioli
v Linare
|
All is not lost
for Lioli however and it all starts with that game against Bantu. If Lioli win
the match they would go top. And although Bantu have a game in hand, A Matšo Matebele have a difficult remaining
schedule which sees them still having to face the in-form Majantja, top four
chasing LCS, LDF and LMPS and then finish the season against Matlama.
Lioli haven’t been
at their best but they have been doing just enough to keep touch in the title
race. Tse Nala did just enough again
on Sunday as they edged past Likhopo 1-0 thanks to Bokang Sello’s second half
winner.
|
Lioli’s last five games
|
||||
|
15/04/18
|
Lioli
|
1-0
|
Likhopo
|
W
|
|
02/04/18
|
Sky
Battalion
|
0-4
|
Lioli
|
W
|
|
18/03/18
|
Liphakoe
|
0-2
|
Lioli
|
W
|
Lioli are staying
in touch and the 2017/18 Econet Premier League title will be won by them or
Bantu.
Weekend Results:
Saturday:
LCS v Sky Battalion
Sefotha-fotha v Linare
Liphakoe v LMPS
(all postponed because of rain)
Sunday:
Kick4Life 1-2 Bantu
Lioli 1-0 Likhopo
Majantja v LDF (unplayable pitch)
Econet Premier
League standings:
|
|
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts.
|
|
1
|
Bantu
|
18
|
13
|
3
|
2
|
34
|
13
|
21
|
42
|
|
2
|
Lioli
|
19
|
12
|
5
|
2
|
28
|
13
|
15
|
41
|
|
3
|
Matlama
|
19
|
10
|
6
|
3
|
25
|
14
|
11
|
36
|
|
4
|
Kick4Life
|
19
|
8
|
6
|
5
|
25
|
16
|
9
|
30
|
|
5
|
LDF
|
17
|
6
|
7
|
4
|
19
|
15
|
4
|
25
|
|
6
|
LCS
|
18
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
18
|
14
|
4
|
24
|
|
7
|
Majantja
|
18
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
18
|
18
|
0
|
24
|
|
8
|
Linare
|
19
|
8
|
3
|
8
|
20
|
26
|
-6
|
24
|
|
9
|
LMPS
|
17
|
6
|
5
|
6
|
17
|
18
|
-1
|
23
|
|
10
|
Liphakoe
|
18
|
7
|
1
|
10
|
17
|
23
|
-6
|
22
|
|
11
|
Sefotha-fotha
|
18
|
3
|
8
|
7
|
13
|
25
|
-12
|
17
|
|
12
|
Likhopo
|
19
|
3
|
5
|
11
|
11
|
27
|
-16
|
14
|
|
13
|
Sky Battalion
|
19
|
0
|
2
|
17
|
4
|
34
|
-30
|
-4
|
·
Linare docked 3 points for late registration
·
Sky Battalion docked 6 points for late registration
·
Bantu docked 3 points and 3 goals
·
Lioli awarded 3 points and 3 goals
No comments:
Post a Comment