Quote of the week

“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are.” – Muhammad Ali

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Matlama v LCS headlines weekend action

Surging forward...
Can Matlama maintain their push at the top?
It’s throwback to times past, Matlama versus LCS with something on the line.

Between them the clubs have 15 league titles – Matlama have nine and LCS have six (two as LPS) – but for the last three seasons they have been non-factors in the title race.

When they meet at the LCS Stadium this afternoon it will be their welcome back party.

Tse Putsoa and Masheshena are in the title hunt and both will be looking to make a statement about their title credentials.

Matlama are top of the Vodacom Premier League and have a four-point cushion. However, their season really starts now. Tse Putsoa face LCS tomorrow and then face Lioli and Bantu in the following two weeks. Positive results in those games will set them up nicely heading into the festive mid-term break.

For LCS the game is of significance also. Under rookie coach Mpitsa Marai, Masheshena have steadily improved over the past few weeks. They have won three of their last five matches and sit in sixth place, five points off the top and within striking distance of the lead. A win over Matlama would cut the deficit to two points to the top of the log.

Matlama hold the upper hand in recent meetings between the two sides winning two of the last four matches. Even so, games between the sides have historically been tight affairs.

Matlama v LCS, past four meetings
29/09/2013 LCS 0-1 Matlama            
12/04/2014 Matlama 0-1 LCS        
10/12/2014 LCS 0-0 Matlama            
29/03/2015 Matlama 3-0 LCS                

Form Table – Last five games


G
W
D
L
GF
GA
Pts
1
Matlama
5
5
0
0
11
5
15
2
Sandawana
5
5
0
0
9
2
15
3
LCS
5
3
1
1
6
3
10
4
Bantu
5
3
1
1
5
2
10
5
Likhopo
5
3
0
2
9
6
9

The weekend’s other big game is Bantu against Sandawana at the Leshoboro Seeiso stadium in Mafeteng today. Few would have expected so much to be riding on this game before the season, but Sandawana have been brilliant since Bob Mafoso took charge late in September.

No team has won more than Sandawana over the past two months and the Butha-Buthe side has jumped to a surprise third-place position. Bantu, on the other hand have designs on the title again, after a disastrous start to the season. A Matšo Matebele have won three in a row and are five points off the top after lying tenth a month ago.

Montoeli Sonopo (right) and his Lioli teammates faces a tough
test in Roma against Rovers
Rovers versus Lioli is another important game today. The game has a must-win vibe to it for Lioli. The champions haven’t won a league game this month and have fallen four points behind Matlama after leading the league a few weeks ago. Simply put, Tse Nala can’t afford to lose any more ground.

It won’t be easy, though. They go to the rowdy venue that is the National University of Lesotho that will be doubly pumped to welcome the visit of the champions. The game will also be a bit of desperation game for Rovers. After starting the season well, The Dynamites have lost their last three games.

On Sunday, former Lesotho coach Leslie Notši takes charge of his first game as Kick4Life coach. His first opponents are Likhopo who are third but have lost their last two games.

Also on Sunday, two struggling Leribe sides meet when bottom side Mphatlalatsane host 11th-placed Linare at the Maputsoe DiFA Stadium.

Week 11 Fixtures
Saturday
LDF v Liphakoe (15:00, Ratjomose)
Matlama v LCS (15:00, LCS)
Bantu v Sandawana (15:00, Mafeteng)
Rovers v Lioli (15:00, Roma)

Sunday
Mphatlalatsane v Linare (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Likila United v LMPS (15:00, Butha-Buthe)
Kick4Life v Likhopo (15:00, Old Europa)

Vodacom Premier League table


P
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
Matlama
9
7
1
1
17
9
8
22
2
Lioli
9
5
3
1
12
5
7
18
3
Sandawana
11
5
3
3
13
12
1
18
4
Likhopo
9
5
2
2
16
7
9
17
5
Bantu
9
5
2
2
9
5
4
17
6
LCS
9
5
2
2
9
5
4
17
7
Rovers
10
4
2
4
8
9
-1
14
8
Kick4Life
11
2
6
3
7
11
-4
12
9
LDF
10
2
5
3
6
8
-2
11
10
Likila United
11
3
2
6
10
14
-4
11
11
Linare
11
3
1
7
12
16
-4
10
12
Liphakoe
10
1
5
4
5
9
-4
8
13
LMPS
11
1
5
5
9
13
-4
8
14
Mphatlalatsane
10
1
3
6
6
15
-9
6