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| Lioli are the Top Indepedence Cup champions for 2018... |
Lioli have been crowned 2018 Top 4 Independence
Cup champions after a pulsating 2-1 win over Bantu in Sunday’s final at Setsoto
Stadium.
Lioli’s heroes on the day were
Cameroonian striker Swithbert Kum Bin and captain Mafa Moremoholo whose goals
before halftime put Tse Nala on the
way to a memorable win.
The win is Lioli’s sixth Independence
Cup triumph in club history and brings Tse
Nala level with Matlama. Only Bantu, with seven, have more Top 4 titles
than the Teyateyaneng giants.
Tse
Nala
came into Sunday’s final on a high after an impressive 2-0 win over Matlama in Saturday’s
semi-finals and their confidence showed early.
Lehlohonolo Thotanyana’s charges were
the more purposeful side as Bantu struggled to gain a foothold in the game.
Lioli’s left-wing combination Tumelo
Makha and Diutlwileng Molefe, in particular, was causing Bantu all sorts of
problems.
Another top performer for Lioli was Lekhanya
Lekhanya and his superb cross in the 33rd minute found Kum to give Tse Nala a deserved lead. Five minutes
later Moremoholo made it 2-0 with his second goal against Bantu in as many
games after scoring the winner in a league encounter last month.
Bantu, looking to defend the crown the
won last year, woke up in the second half.
They pressed Lioli back and were finally
rewarded in the 83rd minute when substitute Hlompho Kalake scored from the
penalty spot. But it was too little, too late as Lioli held on to give
Thotanyana his first trophy since returning to Tse Nala in July.
Earlier in the day LDF took bronze after
beating Matlama 4-3 in a thrilling third-place playoff.
However, the day belonged to Lioli who avenged
painful Independence Cup final defeats to Bantu in the 2015 and 2013.
“We are very happy as players because we
worked hard all week,” Lioli captain Mafa Moremoholo said afterwards.
“Because we beat them in the league (last
month) we knew (Bantu) would come out strongly but we told ourselves after
yesterday’s win (over Matlama) that, no matter what, we were going to win this
game.”
“They came with a different approach in
the second half. They threw everything forward because they were desperate to
score a goal and for us it was just important that we should remain organised
so that we don’t concede.”
Fellow goalscoring hero Kum said last
month’s 1-0 league win over Bantu gave Lioli confidence despite previous cup
disappointments against A Matšo Matebele.
“Based on history it’s true that Bantu
had the upper hand over Lioli, but I think that was then, this is a new team I can
say, and I am new into the team,” Kum said.
“Just the fact that we had the upper
hand over them last time, I was very confident that we were going to come out
victorious.”
In the end, Kum – who joined Lioli in
August – was delighted Tse Nala held on
for his first trophy in Lesotho football.
“I think that’s the game of football,
sometimes you press, sometimes it’s against us you,” Kum said.
“But I think the most important thing is
victory and I’m so glad we have the victory today.”
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Starting
XIs
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Lioli
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Bantu
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Jessy Matsie
Mafa Moremoholo
Lebohang Shelleng
Shetsane Ramoseeka
Kopano Tseka
Stephane Heyong
Lekhanya Lekhanya
Motlalepula Mofolo
Swithbert Kum Bin
Tumelo Makha
Diutlwileng Molefe
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Mapuvere Tinotenda
Thabo Lesaoana
Bokang Sello
Tsietsi Khooa
Motlomelo Mkhwanazi
Thapelo Mokhehle
Lehlononolo Fothoane
Masiu Tau
Lindokuhle Phungulwa
Litšepe Marabe
Tsietsi Motšeare
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Independence
Cup Results:
Saturday
Semi-finals:
Lioli 2-0 Matlama
LDF 0-2 Bantu
Sunday
Third-place playoff: LDF 4-3 Matlama
Final: Lioli 2-1 Bantu
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Individual
Awards:
Goalkeeper
of the Tournament:
Jessy Matsie (Lioli)
Top
Goalscorers:
Hlompho Kalake (Bantu)
Jane Thaba-Ntšo (Matlama)
Swithbert Kum Bin (Lioli)
Player
of the Tournament:
Tumelo Makha (Lioli)
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