Bantu versus Matlama – The Key Battles

It's big one: Bantu v Matlama.
The Econet Premiership crown is on the line...

Bantu and Matlama faceoff on Sunday at Setsoto Stadium in a match that could decide the destination of this season’s Econet Premier League trophy.

Although it is a huge game for both teams, the pressure is squarely on champions Matlama whose title defence is virtually on life support.

Tse Putsoa find themselves 12 points behind Bantu after 15 games and a loss on Sunday would give their Mafeteng rivals an almost insurmountable lead of 15 points at the top.

It is a tough ask for Matlama. Not only are Bantu unbeaten this season, they have rarely looked like losing a game.

Bantu’s only defeats this season came over the span of two days in December’s Independence Cup where the Mafeteng side finished fourth in the four-team showpiece.

That uncharacteristic weekend aside, A Matšo Matebele have been flawless, save for a 1-1 league draw with Matlama when the sides met for the first time this season in November.

As opposed to Matlama, Bantu enter Sunday’s game without much pressure. Their confidence is sky-high and they are playing with house money.

Will Bantu’s defence continue its dominance?

Incredibly, Bantu have only conceded four goals in their 15 league matches this season.

Bantu’s defence was already league’s best unit and then they added Motlomelo Mkhwanazi during the January transfer window.

The Lesotho international defender re-joined Bob Mafoso’s team from South African side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) and he only strengthens a rock-solid defence filled with in-form players such Tsietsi Khooa. 

This is the biggest challenge Matlama will face on Sunday – trying to get past a Bantu defence that has only conceded once in the past eight games.

Matlama also haven’t found a consistent goalscorer since Lesotho international striker Motebang Sera left for Bloemfontein Celtic in South Africa before the start of the season. Tse Putsoa are hoping new signing Thapelo Tale will be the man to offer their goal threat especially in big games such as this, but he only made his debut for Matlama last weekend against LCS.

Whether Matlama can actually break through Bantu’s defence in the first place, is Sunday’s biggest question.

The midfield battle is likely to decide the outcome...

Can Matlama’s midfield dominate the game?

Tse Putsoa have been frustratingly inconsistent this season under Charles Manda and they haven’t dominated matches as they did during last season’s title-winning campaign.

However, their midfield probably still remains the best in the Econet Premier League with the inspirational Phafa Tšosane leading the way.

Sunday’s clash, of course, will depend on which side will control the game’s engine room.

With Bantu in such rampant form it is important for Matlama to try and dictate the tempo of the game and they have players capable of doing so in Tšosane, Mabuti Potloane and Kefuoe Mahula.

All three are vastly experienced on the big stage as they showed when Matlama won the Independence Cup in December, and their creativity paves the way for the likes of Jane Thaba-Ntšo further forward.

The performance of Matlama’s midfield playmakers is likely to set the tempo for proceedings at Setsoto.

Can Matlama find a way to stop Litšepe Marabe?

Leading by example... Litšepe Marabe (left) has been on fire for Bantu

Marabe has thrived since as captain of Bantu.

Marabe has scored 11 goals this season and has led the way as Bantu have scored goals for fun of late.

A Matšo Matebele have scored 18 goals in their last five league games and, if you include their 4-1 win over Kick4Life in the LNIG Top 8 quarterfinal first legs, that tally increases to a crazy 22 goals in six games.

Marabe, Lazola Jokojokwane, Lehlohonolo Fothoane and Hlompho Kalake have been the tormentors in chief in recent weeks.

However, the key dangerman Matlama will have to watch is Marabe who is always extra-motivated against his former club – Matlama.

Bantu v Matlama head-to-head matches:
03/11/19	Matlama	1-1	Bantu
04/05/19	Bantu	2-1	Matlama
16/02/19	Matlama	0-1	Bantu
19/05/18	Matlama	1-2	Bantu
03/12/17	Bantu	4-2	Matlama
12/02/17	Bantu	2-2	Matlama
07/01/17	Matlama	1-0	Bantu
17/04/16	Matlama	2-0	Bantu
12/12/15	Bantu	0-1	Matlama
06/04/15	Bantu	1-0	Matlama
08/11/14	Matlama	0-0	Bantu
30/03/14	Matlama	0-1	Bantu
20/10/13	Bantu	2-0	Matlama
12/05/13	Matlama	1-1	Bantu
15/09/12	Bantu	3-0	Matlama
11/03/12	Bantu	2-1	Matlama
18/09/11	Matlama	0-2	Bantu
14/05/11	Bantu	1-2	Matlama
15/01/11	Matlama	1-0	Bantu

Head-to-head record:
	Bantu	Matlama
Matches played	19	19
Wins	10	5
Draws	4	4
Losses	5	10
Goals for	25	16
Goals against	16	25

Talking Points from Week 15 in the Econet Premier League

This weekend was an action-packed one in the Econet Premier League with goals and surprises. Here are some talking points from the weekend’s action.

Man on form... Tšepo Seturumane

Seturumane on form for LMPS

Tšepo Seturumane is one of Lesotho’s most talented players and is a potential game-winner on any given day.

When he is on form things usually go well for LMPS and that’s what happened on Sunday when Seturumane scored twice to help Simunye beat Sefotha-fotha 5-0.

Last weekend the Likuena star was also on the score-sheet as LMPS beat Matlama 1-0 in the LNIG Top 8 quarterfinal first legs.

Seturumane catching fire in 2020 has coincided with a return to form for LMPS as well.

LMPS were third in the league in November but lost four straight games to end 2019.

Simunye are unbeaten in 2020.

They have won three of their four Econet Premier League games this year and have climbed back up the table into fifth place. With Seturumane leading the way, LMPS are firmly back in the top four picture.

They are just one point behind Linare (third) and Lifofane (fourth).

LMPS league form in 2020:
11/01/20	Lijabatho	0-1	LMPS	W
19/01/20	LMPS	2-0	Lifofane	W
25/01/20	Lifofane	1-1	LMPS	D
09/02/20	LMPS	5-0	Lijabatho	W

Linare flying under Ramafole

Speaking of Linare, they are hot right now. On Saturday, Linare beat Likhopo 4-0 in Maputsoe to continue their fine run in the Econet Premiership.

Apart from runaway leaders Bantu, Tse Tala are the league’s form team.

Linare haven’t lost a league game since losing 1-0 to Matlama in October. Since then Tse Tala have gone unbeaten in seven games and have won five of their last six matches.

The mastermind has been club hero Moses Ramafole who has transformed Linare from a team that finished 11th last season to one that has a good chance of finishing in the top four this year.

By beating Likhopo, Linare notched their seventh win of this season which is already more than the six games they won during the whole of last season.

Thanks to that improvement under Ramafole, Linare are on course for their first top four finish since 2013/14.

Linare’s upturn in form:
30/10/19	Matlama	1-0	Linare	L
23/11/19	Linare	1-1	Liphakoe	D
30/11/19	Linare	1-0	LMPS	W
07/12/19	Linare	1-0	Sefotha-fotha	W
22/12/19	Linare	4-2	Lijabatho	W
11/01/20	Likhopo	1-2	Linare	W
25/01/20	Lijabatho	0-0	Linare	D
08/02/20	Linare	4-0	Likhopo	W

Swallows headed for relegation

A cat has nine lives but Swallows are running out of chances.

Last season the Mazenod side miraculously survived relegation on the last day of the season to send Galaxy down in their place.

Instead of learning from that experience, Swallows once again find themselves in the relegation zone and their performances are arguably even worse. The last time Swallows won a game was on October 6.

In last six matches they have lost five times, their latest defeat coming on Saturday against Sefotha-fotha.

With the season now in its final third, Swallows are four points from safety and firm favourites for relegation.

Back to save the day... Jane Thaba-Ntšo

Jane Thaba-Ntšo returns to inspire Matlama

Matlama were sweating all of last week over the fitness of Jane Thaba-Ntšo who missed last weekend’s LNIG Top 8 loss to LMPS with a muscle injury.

Tse Putsoa struggled offensively without the Lesotho international in that game and they desperately needed him back for their crunch tie against LCS on Sunday.

Matlama’s prayers were answered, not only with an appearance by Thaba-Ntšo but a brace from the Likuena star to help the champions to a 3-1 win over Masheshena which kept their title hopes alive.

Matlama are 12 points behind Bantu with the rivals set to clash this coming weekend. Tse Putsoa will be hoping their talisman is on form again.

Two steps back for Lioli

Every time Lioli have taken a step forward this season they have immediately taken two steps back.

Last month Lioli hired Morena Ramorebodi as coach and they got off to a good start under the South African tactician by beating LDF 4-1 in his first game followed by a solid 1-1 draw with LDF in last weekend’s LNIG Top 8 quarterfinal first legs.

Lioli’s form (last nine games):
03/11/19	Lioli	2-1	Sefotha-fotha	W
23/11/19	LMPS	1-2	Lioli	W
30/11/19	Likhopo	1-1	Lioli	D
22/12/19	Matlama	2-1	Lioli	L
11/01/20	Lifofane	2-0	Lioli	L
19/01/20	Lioli	2-1	Lijabatho	W
22/01/20	Lioli	1-4	LDF	L
25/01/20	LDF	1-4	Lioli	W
09/02/20	Lioli	1-2	Lifofane	L

However, just when things were looking up, Lioli suffered a surprise 2-1 home defeat to Lifofane on Sunday.

Credit to Lifofane, they have been the surprise of the season.

However, for Lioli this is a worrying trend. Despite the talent in their squad, their season hasn’t really kicked off with good results repeatedly followed by disappointing ones.

Thanks to their inconsistent form, Lioli find themselves seventh in the Econet Premier League and in danger of missing out on a top four place for the second season in a row.

Weekend Results:

Saturday:

Bantu 3-1 Kick4Life

Swallows 0-3 Sefotha-fotha

Liphakoe 2-3 LDF

Linare 4-0 Likhopo

Sunday:

Matlama 3-1 LCS

LMPS 5-0 Lijabatho

Lioli 1-2 Lifofane

Econet Premier League Standings:

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts.
1	Bantu	15	14	1	0	39	4	+35	43
2	Matlama	15	9	4	2	28	9	+19	31
3	Linare	15	7	4	4	19	12	+7	25
4	Lifofane	15	7	4	4	14	13	+1	25
5	LMPS	15	7	3	5	15	10	+5	24
6	LCS	15	6	5	4	13	11	+2	23
7	Lioli	15	6	3	6	20	18	+2	21
8	Likhopo	14	4	5	5	17	20	-3	17
9	Kick4Life	15	4	4	7	12	22	-10	16
10	LDF	14	4	5	5	17	19	-2	14
11	Sefotha-fotha	14	3	4	7	8	13	-5	13
12	Liphakoe	14	1	7	6	8	18	-10	10
13	Lijabatho	15	1	6	8	10	21	-11	9
14	Swallows	15	1	3	11	5	37	-32	6