Vodacom Premier League weekend preview… with predictions

The 2016/17 Vodacom Premier League season is reaching its climax. Here is a look at this weekend’s round of games…

Saturday is another big day for Mafa Moremoholo (left) and his Lioli teammates...

Match of the weekend:

Likhopo v Lioli

Saturday’s meeting between Likhopo and Lioli at the LCS Stadium is the most important game of the weekend because the result could potentially mark the end of an era or the end of Lioli’s two-year run as champions.

With two games left in the season, the equations are simple: if Likhopo lose and Rovers secure a win this weekend then the Red Army will be relegated; on the other hand, if Lioli drop points and Bantu get a win in their game, the Mafeteng side will be crowned champions.

Those are serious stakes.

Likhopo are, of course, Lesotho’s greatest conveyor belt of talent with so many players having been discovered or gone through the ranks at the club.

Bokang Mothoana, Thapelo Tale, Lehlomela Ramabele, Lieta Lehloka, Tefo Maipato, Ralekoti Mokhahlane, Tumelo Khutlang – the list of players that spent their formative years at Likhopo is endless.

The club has basically been a supplier of talent for the country with Lesotho’s Under-20 teams that qualified for the African Youth Championships in 2005 and 2011, for example, having been packed with Likhopo gems.

However, since the untimely passing of founder Bishop Molatoli in 2015, the club has slowly lost direction.

Another founding member in Qamako Mahao has also since departed from the club and the uncertainty led to an exodus of players before this season.

After Likhopo finishing sixth last year, Mothoana, Maipato, Sefoli Ntoi, Nyakhane Nyakhane and Tšeliso Sejake all left the team in the off-season and when top scorer Ramabele followed suit in January, the writing was on the wall.

Likhopo haven’t won a game since beating relegated Butha-Buthe Warriors on February 12 and now their top-flight survival is out of their hands.

Likhopo are two points adrift of safety and their final two games are tough – a date against title-chasing Lioli this weekend and away to Liphakoe on the final day of the season.

Just as there’s a lot at stake for Likhopo there is plenty riding on the game for Lioli as well. Tse Nala have been Lesotho’s top team for the past three seasons (Lioli only lost one game in each of their 2014/15 and 2015/16 title winning campaigns).

You can argue Lioli have again been the best team in the land again this season but the decisive fact is Tse Nala have dropped points at inopportune times. Lioli started the season with an opening day defeat to LMPS. The champions then lost to lowly Rovers a week after winning the Independence Cup last October and then, two weeks ago, the costliest result of them all – a goalless draw with LCS days after winning the LNIG Top 8.

Because of those slips Lioli are now relying on favours to defend their title. They have to win their remaining two games and hope in-form Bantu somehow drop points.

With the permutations as they are, this Saturday’s game spells trouble for Likhopo. Lioli will not be in charitable mood and they have players in top form such as Lekhanya Lekhanya, who scored last weekend against Matlama, and Tumelo Khutlang who is a leading contender for the player of the season.

Prediction: Likhopo 0-2 Lioli

The weekend’s other games:

Captain Fantastic... Thapelo Mokhehle has helped Bantu
to the league’s second best defensive record

Sundawana v Bantu

Sunday is set to be a festival at the Maputsoe DiFA Stadium where three of Lesotho’s best supported clubs will be in action.

League leaders Bantu, Linare and Liphakoe will all descend on Maputsoe with Bantu facing Sundawana at 13:00 and Linare versus Liphakoe following at 15:00.

For Bantu it could be a day of celebration or, at the very least, a big step towards securing the title. A Matšo Matebele face Sundawana knowing all they need is another win to add to their league leading nine victories in 2017.

Bantu’s league form in 2017

07/01/17	Matlama 1-0 Bantu	L
15/01/17	Bantu 3-1 Likhopo	W
21/01/17	Butha-Buthe Warriors 1-6 Bantu	W
28/01/17	Rovers 0-1 Bantu	W
12/02/17	Bantu 2-2 Matlama	D
19/02/17	Linare 0-2 Bantu	W
04/03/17	Bantu 1-0 LDF	W
12/03/17	Bantu 2-1 Lioli	W
18/03/17	LMPS 1-2 Bantu	W
02/04/17	LCS 0-0 Bantu	D
17/04/17	Bantu 2-0 Liphakoe	W
23/04/17	Bantu 3-1 Sky Battalion	W

Sundawana also have ambitions of their own as they look to salvage their season with a top eight finish. Tse Bo Yellow, who finished fourth last season and will be buoyed by their first win under Antonio Flores last weekend, are currently ninth, outside the top eight on goal difference.

The game itself is likely to be an attractive one. Both teams strive to play a passing game. But, Bantu have much more at stake. That along with their superior quality should see A Matšo Matebele get the win they need.

Prediction: Sundawana 1-3 Bantu

Linare v Liphakoe

Teele Ntšonyana would be a coach of the season candidate if he had been at Linare a little bit longer. Tse Tala are reborn under him and are yet to taste defeat in the six games under the former Lesotho hit-man and Liphakoe coach. The only other unbeaten team in the last six games is Bantu.

In contrast, Ntšonyana’s former team, Liphakoe, seem to be headed in the opposite direction. The Quthing side replaced Ntšonyana with Motebang Makhetha in January and immediately went unbeaten in their first three games under the new coach, winning two. Since then they have won just once in eight games losing four times.

Linare, who still have an outside chance of finishing eighth, should have the momentum and motivation to overcome Liphakoe.

Prediction: Linare 1-0 Liphakoe

Butha-Buthe Warriors v LCS

Butha-Buthe Warriors are relegated and have little to play for. LCS are looking to seal a top four finish which would be their ninth in ten seasons. This has another Warriors defeat written all over it. The Butha-Buthe side have lost 20 of their 24 league games this season.

Prediction: Butha-Buthe Warriors 0-3 LCS

Rovers v Matlama

Matlama need Jane Thaba-Ntšo to be at his best again…

Rovers have given themselves a shout of surviving. Their two draws over the past two weeks (2-2 v Sundawana, 0-0 v Kick4Life) have them two points clear of Likhopo in the relegation zone. The Red Army also face an easier task this weekend than Likhopo who face Lioli. Rovers face a Matlama side that looks ready for the season to end and hasn’t won in five games.

Prediction: Rovers 1-1 Matlama

LDF v Kick4Life

Kick4Life’s main mission (finishing in the top four) is complete while LDF are still looking to ensure they finish in the top eight. That could be the deciding factor in this game.

Form table – last six games:

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts.
1	Bantu	6	5	1	0	11	3	16
2	Lioli	6	4	1	1	14	3	13
3	LDF	6	4	1	1	8	1	13
4	Linare	6	3	3	0	9	5	12
5	Sky Battalion	6	3	2	1	11	5	11
6	LCS	6	2	4	0	8	3	10
7	Sundawana	6	1	3	2	6	5	6
8	Likhopo	6	1	3	2	7	7	6
9	Matlama	6	1	3	2	7	8	6
10	Kick4Life	6	1	3	2	5	6	6
11	Liphakoe	6	1	3	2	5	7	6
12	LMPS	6	0	5	1	4	5	5
13	Rovers	6	1	2	3	6	13	5
14	Butha-Buthe Warriors	6	1	1	4	7	19	4

LDF have also picked up their form over the last two weeks winning both their outings. Kick4Life in contrast are struggling to get wins of late. They only have one win in their last six games.

This game, by the way, will be a showdown between two of this season’s best strikers. LDF’s Mojela Letsie leads the league scoring charts with 18 goals while Kick4Life’s Thabiso Brown has 17 and an exciting chase for the golden boot.

Prediction: LDF 1-1 Kick4Life

Sky Battalion v LMPS

Nkau Lerotholi (left) and LMPS haven't won a game since March..;

Sky Battalion have had an incredible season. Thabile Secker has instilled a fearless attitude in the premiership newcomers which has served them well against the big boys. However, not only have SK surprised with their attitude, but also with their organisation and gameplay. Only Bantu, Lioli and Kick4Life have more wins than Sky Battalion’s 11 this season.

LMPS, on the other hand, are already on holiday. In fact, Semonye have been on holiday for a month now.

LMPS’s recent league form:

12/03/17	LCS 1-1 LMPS	D
18/03/17	LMPS 1-2 Bantu	L
01/04/17	LMPS 0-0 Sundawana	D
17/04/17	LMPS 0-1 Kick4Life	L
23/04/17	LMPS 0-0 Linare	D

Prediction: Sky Battalion 2-1 LMPS

Weekend Fixtures:

Saturday

Likhopo v Lioli (15:00, LCS Stadium)

Butha-Buthe Warriors v LCS (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)

Rovers v Matlama (15:00, Roma)

Sunday

Sky Battalion v LMPS (15:00, LCS Stadium)

Sundawana v Bantu (13:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)

Linare v Liphakoe (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)

LDF v Kick4Life (15:00, Ratjomose)

Vodacom Premier League Standings:

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts.
1	Bantu	24	17	5	2	44	12	+32	56
2	Lioli	24	17	3	4	46	11	+35	54
3	Kick4Life	24	13	6	5	42	24	+18	45
4	LCS	24	11	8	5	32	21	+11	41
5	Sky Battalion	24	11	5	8	32	25	+7	38
6	LMPS	24	7	12	5	21	18	+3	33
7	LDF	24	9	8	7	27	21	+6	32
8	Matlama	24	8	10	6	35	24	+11	31
9	Sundawana	24	7	10	7	24	24	0	31
10	Linare	24	6	8	10	33	35	-2	26
11	Liphakoe	24	6	7	11	20	30	-10	25
12	Rovers	24	3	7	14	20	47	-27	16
13	Likhopo	24	2	8	14	18	37	-19	14
R	Butha-Buthe Warriors	24	1	3	20	17	82	-65	6

·         Matlama docked 3 points

·         LDF docked 3 points and 3 goals