It’s crunch time in the Vodacom Premier League this weekend as the top teams collide and by Sunday evening there could be serious implications on the title race.

The game of the weekend is on Sunday when second placed Matlama will face third-placed Bantu at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena. Earlier in the day, league leaders Lioli battle it out with Linare who are fourth.

Linare’s chances of winning the league are now over, but they would love nothing more than to dash their neighbours’ title hopes just as they dented Matlama’s plans with a goalless draw on Sunday in Maputsoe.

It is a draw that Matlama head coach Halemakale Mahlaha admitted has complicated their title hopes but he insisted the championship is still within their reach. ‘Tse Putsoa’, with 58 points from 26 games, are two points behind leaders Lioli with four games to go.

Mahlaha remains confident because Matlama are yet to play Lioli and the destiny of the title is still in his side’s hands.

Bantu, on the other hand, are four points behind Lioli and will need favours from others to defend their title.

It has certainly not been smooth sailing for James Madidilane since returning to the club two months ago, and the dressing room has allegedly been rocked by infighting with some players unhappy with reported favouritism by the South African tactician.

Despite all the drama, ‘A Matšo Matebele’ would love to defend their title and claim their third championship in the past four seasons.

Beating Matlama is the first step because Bantu would leapfrog them into second position on the log with a victory.

If Bantu win, they will also complete a double over Matlama after their 2-0 triumph in the first round and the Mafeteng giants would claim precious bragging rights over their Maseru rivals.

Speaking to thepost on Wednesday, Matlama coach Mahlaha said he is expecting a tough game between Lesotho’s dominant clubs for almost a decade.

Matlama (with two titles) and Bantu (four titles) are the only teams to have won the premiership since 2017 and Mahlaha said Sunday’s match will be another mammoth clash between the sides as both juggernauts again vie to be crowned kings of Lesotho.

“There is a possibility these two teams could win the league and they are right behind one another and that’s what makes it tough,” Mahlaha said.

“The weekend’s results have impacted us, it has increased pressure to win this game,” he added.

Mahlaha admitted playing after Lioli also adds pressure because if Lioli win on Saturday, it means Matlama have to win at all costs to keep the gap at two points.

“Of course it does (put pressure), but we will work hard and focus on Sunday,” Mahlaha said.

“It is great though because we still have to play Lioli, so we will see. We like having tough games because this is how we test our players.”

Weekend Fixtures:
Saturday
CCX vs. LMPS (LAC)
LDF vs. Naughty Boys (Ratjomose)
Liphakoe vs. Machokha (LCS Ground)
Lioli vs. Linare (TY)
Sunday
LCS vs. Lifofane (LCS Ground)
LU FC vs. Lijabatho (Ratjomose, 14:00)
Matlama vs. Bantu (Bambatha)

Relebohile Tšepe

Lesotho’s senior team coaches together with the Lesotho Football Association’s (LEFA) secretariat held a meeting with all coaches of the Vodacom Premier League clubs on Tuesday.

The meeting was at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena and was held to discuss Lesotho’s upcoming schedule, details of Likuena’s training programme, the welfare of players and injuries amongst other things.

Many coaches, including the likes of James Madidilane, Katiso Mojakhomo and Thabile Secker, attended the meeting while those who could not make it to Bambatha sent their assistants.

Likuena head coach Leslie Notši and his technical team were present.

LEFA communications manager Mikia Kalati said the meeting was a successful one and it has happened before.

He said Likuena’s technical team initiated the gathering because club coaches are their colleagues and they must all work hand-in-hand. A wide range of topics was discussed and the coaches appreciated being updated with the national team’s upcoming schedule, which includes the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as well as the COSAFA Cup.

The COSAFA Cup is usually staged during the preseason when teams are preparing for the new season and it means several Vodacom Premier League clubs start their preparations without their key players.

The meeting was necessary because national team coaches face challenges when calling players up for international duty, Kalati explained.

Normally the challenges arise because club coaches are in the dark about Likuena’s schedule and the programmes the players engage in for the days they spend with national team coaches.

“There is a lot that happens and (the meeting) was for league coaches to know the national team programme,” Kalati said.

“They now know what their players do when they are with the national team, remember in a week they spend two days with the national team coaches,” he added.

“It was to give the coaches information on call-ups, to get them updated about Likuena’s day-to-day business and the coaches appreciated the meeting,” he said.

When players are injured while on national team duty, whether it’s senior or junior teams, LEFA shoulders their recovery by making the association’s doctors and physiotherapists available to nurse their injuries.

However, it has happened that players are injured while with Likuena, and when they get to their teams, they play before they are fully healed and end up aggravating their injuries.

Kalati said many coaches watch when Likuena plays and they can help with advice on how they see things, as they are “part and parcel” of the national team.

With the league season drawing to a close, Likuena will also begin preparations for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda scheduled for June, which will be followed by the COSAFA Cup.

Tlalane Phahla

Lifofane are enjoying their best top-flight season since winning promotion in 2019.

The Butha-Buthe side are seventh in the Vodacom Premier League after a four-match unbeaten run and a win over relegation-threatened Manonyane on Sunday could see them catapult into the top six and within touching distance of an improbable top four finish.

The roots of Lifofane’s success can partly be traced back to 2020 when they shocked the country by capturing the Matekane Group of Companies (MGC) Top 4 tournament.

The Buthe-Buthe outfit bagged M195 000 for winning the knockout competition in Matšonyane and that money has helped the upstart club progress.

Lifofane were able to buy training equipment and gear to improve their on-field product and, off the field, some money was saved to cover the team’s food and transport costs on away days.

Five years later and Lifofane are reaping the benefits of their prudent management.

Their management choices include the hiring of Katiso Mojakhomo as coach in March last year and his arrival has been a home run – Lifofane have developed into a disciplined, well-oiled machine this season.

Mojakhomo is one of Lesotho’s most successful coaches having won back-to-back league titles in 2007 and 2008 with the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) and his experience has allowed Lifofane to punch above their weight which was perfectly epitomised in their last two matches, a pair of 1-1 draws with Matlama and defending champions Bantu.

Both opponents were traditional giants desperately chasing the league title but Lifofane matched them blow for blow.

Mojakhomo said he is delighted with the improvement he has seen in his charges but there is still room to grow.

“It is our expectation to see the team at the top by the end of this Premier League season and we are going to work as hard as we can to make this happen,” he said.

Lifofane, of course, are not the league’s first surprise package.

Many clubs have had a good season or two before fading away.

Sundawana and Sky Battalion are just two teams over the past decade that have taken the elite league by storm for one campaign only to vanish from memory.

Mojakhomo said Lifofane’s vision extends beyond just doing well this season.

He said the club are determined not to allow their smaller stature to hinder their ambitions of establishing a long-term status in the premiership and competing with the big boys for seasons to come.

“There are many challenges that the team faces but we try to overcome them in as many ways as possible,” Mojakhomo said.

“The team’s management work together to come up with solutions.”

Moipone Makhoalinyane