After a two-week international break the
Vodacom Premier League is back. The league now enters its final stretch and
this weekend sees a key round of action. Here’s a look at three interesting clashes
on the menu.
Bantu v LCS (Sunday, 15:00, LCS Stadium)
 |
| Bantu need Litšepe Marabe (left) to fire |
Bantu have decided to move their match against
LCS to the LCS Stadium in Maseru which is peculiar because now A Matšo Matebele are playing this vital game
at the home of their opponents. This is very weird.
It’s even weirder because Bantu are
struggling with their woes only being masked by their recent LNIG Top 8 quarterfinal
win over Likila United.
On closer inspection, Bantu have only
won five matches in all competitions since the start of the year, and three of
those wins have come against Likila – one in the league and two in the sides’
two-legged LNIG Top 8 meeting.
The other two wins for Bantu in 2016 are
in the league against Mphatlalatsane, who are bottom, and Likhopo, who are
falling. Still, no matter their form, Bantu have to find a way to win against
LCS.
With 29 points, Bantu trail
fourth-placed Sandawana by four points. The Mafeteng side simply can’t afford
more slip-ups if they want to defend their Independence (Top 4) Cup next
season.
Bantu’s
last five games (most recent first):
Lioli 0-0 Bantu
Bantu 1-0 Likhopo
Bantu 0-0 Rovers
Bantu 0-0 Liphakoe
Bantu 0-1 LMPS
|
Despite the fact third-placed LCS have
collected 14 more points than Bantu, this match is difficult to call because it
remains to be seen how Masheshena will
react after their crushing loss to Lioli last time out.
Do LCS still believe they can win the
title? Will they be up for this game? Or will they suffer a Lioli hangover?
The answers to those questions are very
important because, at the moment, LCS are clearly the better team. Before
losing to Lioli, Masheshena had gone
on a seven-match winning streak. They are still a work in progress, of course,
and are not the all-conquering Masheshena
of old.
But, under rookie coach Mpitsa Marai,
who captained those all-conquering Masheshena
sides, LCS are beginning to show a similar efficiency. Marai is building
steadily and next season this could be a title-winning team.
They could still do it this year, of
course. Masheshena are only four
points behind Lioli. If they do believe they can still win the league, if they
come out with intent against Bantu, they should win.
Prediction:
Bantu 0-1 LCS
Mphatlalatsane v Matlama (Saturday, 15:00, St
Monica’s)
 |
| Matlama need to three points |
On paper, this would appear the easiest game
to call of the weekend. Mphatlalatsane have been bad for the majority of the
season, but instead of improving they are getting worse. Now they are terrible.
Linaleli have lost their
last three games with a combined score of 11-2 and, thanks to that form,
Mphatlalatsane anchor the league with 12 points.
Mphatlalatsane’s
last three games
LCS 2-0 Mphatlalatsane
Mphatlalatsane 1-6 Lioli
Kick4Life 3-1 Mphatlalatsane
|
Mphatlalatsane are not as bad as Qoaling
Highlanders were last season or the legendary Sekamaneng Young Stars, but
recently they have reminded of those two famous luminaries.
Lowest
points totals since 2008/09
|
Season
|
Team
|
Games
|
Points
|
Average points per game
|
|
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
|
|
2015/16
|
Mphatlalatsane
|
20
|
12
|
0.60
|
If Mphatlalatsane don’t want to follow
the same route as Young Stars and Highlanders then they have to beat Matlama.
Because, even with their wretched form, Mphatlalatsane still have a chance to
survive. They are only six points from safety.
Matlama, on the other hand, know what
they have to do – win. Tse Putsoa got
a taste of the top of the league three weeks and they surely liked it. Champions
Lioli are back on top but, if Matlama beat Mphatlalatsane, they will leapfrog into
first and put the pressure on Lioli who play on Sunday against Likhopo.
2015/16
Home Record
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
Pts
|
||
1
|
Lioli
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
0
|
12
|
1
|
22
|
2
|
Matlama
|
9
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
17
|
9
|
20
|
3
|
LCS
|
9
|
6
|
1
|
2
|
10
|
5
|
19
|
4
|
Likhopo
|
11
|
4
|
5
|
2
|
10
|
6
|
17
|
5
|
LDF
|
10
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
9
|
7
|
16
|
6
|
Bantu United
|
11
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
10
|
7
|
15
|
7
|
Sandawana
|
10
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
7
|
7
|
14
|
8
|
Kick4Life
|
10
|
2
|
6
|
2
|
9
|
10
|
12
|
9
|
Linare
|
12
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
15
|
16
|
12
|
10
|
Liphakoe
|
10
|
1
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
9
|
8
|
11
|
Likila United
|
9
|
2
|
2
|
5
|
6
|
11
|
8
|
12
|
LMPS
|
10
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
7
|
12
|
7
|
13
|
Rovers
|
9
|
2
|
0
|
7
|
5
|
13
|
6
|
14
|
Mphatlalatsane
|
10
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
12
|
30
|
5
|
2015/16
Away Record
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
Pts
|
||
1
|
Matlama
|
11
|
7
|
2
|
2
|
17
|
10
|
23
|
2
|
Lioli
|
10
|
7
|
2
|
1
|
19
|
7
|
23
|
3
|
LCS
|
11
|
6
|
4
|
1
|
12
|
3
|
22
|
4
|
Sandawana
|
10
|
6
|
1
|
3
|
13
|
12
|
19
|
5
|
Kick4Life
|
10
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
7
|
15
|
6
|
Bantu United
|
9
|
4
|
2
|
3
|
8
|
4
|
14
|
7
|
Liphakoe
|
10
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
9
|
10
|
13
|
8
|
Likila United
|
11
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
9
|
15
|
12
|
9
|
Rovers
|
11
|
2
|
5
|
4
|
8
|
12
|
11
|
10
|
Likhopo
|
9
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
12
|
10
|
11
|
11
|
LMPS
|
10
|
2
|
5
|
3
|
10
|
13
|
11
|
12
|
LDF
|
10
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
11
|
11
|
10
|
13
|
Mphatlalatsane
|
10
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
10
|
7
|
14
|
Linare
|
8
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
4
|
10
|
5
|
Lastly, Matlama will look at the home
and away tables above and they will do the math. Mphatlalatsane are the worst
team at home this season, Tse Putsoa
are the best away from home. Simply put, Matlama, on paper, have to win. But, football
isn’t played on paper and Mphatlalatsane have shocked Matlama in the past. This
should be interesting.
Prediction:
Mphatlalatsane 1-3 Matlama
Kick4Life v LDF (Sunday, 13:30, LCS Stadium)
 |
| LDF need their talisman Molefe Lekoekoe (right) |
Kick4Life still have a chance of a top
four place, and although it’s very much an outside chance, the form of the
sides above them makes it a chance nonetheless. Kick4Life have 27 points, six
points behind firth-placed Sandawana with six games to go.
What do they have going for them? Under
Leslie Notši they have become tough to beat. Since his arrival as coach last
November, Kick4Life have won four of nine games and collected 15 points. Critically,
they have been more consistent than the sides above them and consistency counts
at this stage of the season.
Since
Notši took charge
Games played
|
Points collected
|
|
Sandawana
|
9
|
12
|
Bantu
|
11
|
12
|
Likhopo
|
11
|
10
|
Kick4Life
|
9
|
15
|
If Kick4Life have a chance of securing a
top four spot then so do LDF as they are only a point behind Kick4Life. Even
more heartening for them is that, on paper, LDF have the most manageable finish
to the season of all the sides chasing the top four.
LDF’s
remaining fixtures
Kick4Life v LDF (LCS)
LDF v Sandawana (1Ratjomose)
Likila United v LDF (Butha-Buthe)
LDF v LMPS (Ratjomose)
Liphakoe v LDF (Quthing)
LDF v Bantu (Ratjomose)
|
After Kick4Life, Sohle-Sohle host Sandawana. So, LDF could conceivably be within
touching distance of Sandawana two weeks from now, and then have games against the
relegation threatened trio of Likila, LMPS and Liphakoe to follow. That is deal
most people would take in a heartbeat.
Motheo Mohapi’s charges have to first handle
business against Kick4Life and this will be helped by this encounter being at LCS
Stadium.
LDF’s away record is dreadful. In fact,
only the struggling Leribe cousins – Linare and Mphatlalatsane – have been
worse away from home. But, thankfully for them, this game is on a neutral
ground.
The conclusion to this story? There will
be plenty to play for when Kick4Life and LDF meet.
In fact, this may turn out to be the
most tightly contested game of the weekend between two well-drilled sides.
Prediction: Kick4Life 1-1 LDF
Weekend
Fixtures:
Saturday
Bantu v LCS (15:00, LCS Stadium)
Mphatlalatsane v Matlama (15:00, St
Monica’s)
Sandawana v LMPS (15:00, Butha-Buthe)
Liphakoe v Linare (15:00, Quthing)
Sunday
Rovers v Likila United (15:00, Roma)
Kick4Life v LDF (13:30, LCS)
Likhopo v Lioli (15:30, LCS)
Vodacom
Premier League Table
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts.
|
||
1
|
Lioli
|
20
|
13
|
6
|
1
|
31
|
8
|
23
|
45
|
2
|
Matlama
|
20
|
13
|
4
|
3
|
34
|
19
|
15
|
43
|
3
|
LCS
|
20
|
12
|
5
|
3
|
22
|
8
|
14
|
41
|
4
|
Sandawana
|
20
|
10
|
3
|
7
|
20
|
19
|
1
|
33
|
5
|
Bantu
|
20
|
8
|
5
|
7
|
18
|
11
|
7
|
29
|
6
|
Likhopo
|
20
|
7
|
7
|
6
|
22
|
16
|
6
|
28
|
7
|
Kick4Life
|
20
|
6
|
9
|
5
|
16
|
17
|
-1
|
27
|
8
|
LDF
|
20
|
6
|
8
|
6
|
20
|
18
|
2
|
26
|
9
|
Liphakoe
|
20
|
4
|
9
|
7
|
14
|
19
|
-5
|
21
|
10
|
Likila United
|
20
|
5
|
5
|
10
|
15
|
26
|
-11
|
20
|
11
|
LMPS
|
20
|
3
|
9
|
8
|
17
|
25
|
-8
|
18
|
12
|
Linare
|
20
|
4
|
5
|
11
|
19
|
26
|
-7
|
17
|
13
|
Rovers
|
20
|
4
|
5
|
11
|
13
|
25
|
-12
|
17
|
14
|
Mphatlalatsane
|
20
|
2
|
6
|
12
|
16
|
40
|
-24
|
12
|
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