Kick4Life looking forward to Lioli challenge

Kick4Life face the biggest test of their season when they face champions Lioli

Kick4Life coach Leslie Notši says his team is looking forward to Saturday’s crunch Vodacom Premier League tie against champions Lioli. Notši has guided Kick4Life to a stunning start to this season.

Kick4Life are six points clear at the top of the Vodacom premiership having amassed an impressive 22 points from a possible 27 this term.

Notši’s charges have put up dominant numbers in the process. They have scored 21 goals in their nine matches, eight more than the next best total (Bantu’s 13), and they have also been solid at the other end of the pitch conceding just eight times.

Their balanced approach has seen the Old Europa side win seven of their nine games this season and they are riding a three-game winning streak. They also boast the league’s top marksman in Thabiso Brown who has struck eight goals.

However, Saturday is possibly the biggest test of Kick4Life’s credentials so far when they face champions Lioli.

Although Tse Nala have not been as dominant to start the season as in the past two years, they remain Lesotho’s most talented squad, a fact they proved with their Independence Cup victory last month.

Notši said he is expecting a difficult game against a quality team.

“We are expecting a tough encounter, they have a very good attacking team with players with individual brilliance,” Notši said.

Saturday’s clash is a match that will reveal a lot about the two sides. Kick4Life appear to be a new force in the league but, to really show they are the team to beat, they have to defeat Lioli.

Even so, Notši downplayed the importance of the occasion.

“We’re looking forward to the game as a small team which is in the building phase and with satisfactory start to the season. It’s a game where we can always weigh ourselves so that we can manage our growth realistically,” Notši said.

Lioli have had the upper hand in the four meetings between the teams since Kick4Life’s promotion two years ago.

The mastermind... Leslie Notši

However, Lioli have had a stop-start season to say the least, blowing hot and cold on a weekly basis. The root cause appears to be an unexpected coaching change days before the 2016/17 campaign that saw Mosholi Mokhothu, who led Lioli to the past two league crowns, replaced by Halemakale Mahlaha.

The transition has not been seamless and Saturday’s game would appear to be Kick4Life’s best chance to break their duck against the Teyateyaneng giants.

Notši said he would urge his team to enjoy the occasion without putting pressure on them.

“I really don’t have targets, the idea is to encourage the players to go and enjoy the game,” Notši said.

Lioli v Kick4Life head-to-head

2015/16
23-04-2016	Kick4Life 0-1 Lioli
21-11-2015	Lioli 0-0 Kick4Life
2014/15
25-04-2015	Lioli 1-0 Kick4Life
06-12-2014	Kick4Life 0-2 Lioli

Weekend Vodacom Premier League Fixtures

Saturday, 12 November

Kick4Life v Lioli (LCS, 13:00)
LCS v Rovers (LCS, 15:00)

Liphakoe v LMPS (Quthing, 15:00)

Sunday, 13 November

LDF v Bantu (Ratjomose, 15:00)

Linare v Butha-Buthe Warriors (Maputsoe DiFA Ground, 15:00)

Matlama v Sundawana (Postponed)

Likhopo v Sky Battalion (Postponed)

Standings

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts.
1	Kick4Life	9	7	1	1	21	8	13	22
2	Bantu	7	5	1	1	13	3	10	16
3	LDF	9	4	4	1	8	4	4	16
4	Matlama	7	4	3	0	10	3	7	15
5	Sky Battalion	8	5	0	3	11	8	3	15
6	LMPS	9	4	3	2	8	5	3	15
7	Lioli	8	4	2	2	9	4	5	14
8	Liphakoe	9	3	2	4	9	12	-3	11
9	Sundawana	9	2	4	3	8	9	-1	10
10	LCS	8	2	4	2	8	10	-2	10
11	Linare	9	1	3	5	10	14	-4	6
12	Rovers	9	1	2	6	6	17	-11	5
13	Likhopo	8	1	1	6	3	10	-7	4
14	Butha-Buthe Warriors	9	0	2	7	4	21	-17	2