…as Matlama maintain perfect winning record
Leemisa Thuseho
BANTU have piled more misery on Lifofane with a commanding 5-1 victory at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena yesterday, recording their fourth consecutive win to strengthen their grip on the top of the league standings.
Bantu now have 16 points from six matches, while Matlama remain hot on their heels after maintaining their perfect start to the campaign with a 2-1 victory over Limkokwing University.
Lintle Chocholo scored a brace for Bantu, while Bakuena Ramakatsa, Motse Khiba and Hlompho Phalatsi were also on target to complete a comprehensive victory.
Thabo Maphakisa scored Lifofane’s consolation goal from the penalty spot in the second half, but his effort did little to ease the pain of another disappointing defeat.
The result marked a significant improvement for Bantu against a side that gave them difficult encounters last season, when the two teams played out 2-2 and 1-1 draws in the first and second rounds, respectively.
Bantu coach, Motheo Mohapi, said his team approached the match cautiously, having learned from their previous encounters with Lifofane.
“We were very cautious coming into the game, considering how we performed against Lifofane last season,” Mohapi said in a post-match interview.
“We knew that if we were not at our best, they would be a dangerous side.”
Bantu quickly stamped their authority on yesterday’s encounter, racing into a two-goal lead within the opening 25 minutes.
Mohapi said the early goals proved crucial in unsettling Lifofane, forcing them into mistakes as they struggled to recover.
“The early goals were very important to us because they frustrated our opponents. They began doubting their capabilities and systems, and they panicked,” he said.
The Bantu coach also expressed satisfaction with his team’s progress, reiterating his commitment to building a formidable side for the future.
“When I arrived here, I said I was building a future Bantu, and I believe that project is going very well,” Mohapi said.
For Lifofane, the heavy defeat further compounds a difficult start to the season for a team that finished runners-up in the league last campaign.
After six matches, Lifofane have managed just one victory and one draw, while suffering four defeats.
Yesterday’s loss was their second heavy defeat of the campaign, following a humiliating 4-0 loss to Manonyane on 30 August.
Despite the team’s struggles, coach Nkosana Mabena remains optimistic that Lifofane can turn their fortunes around as the season progresses.
Mabena attributed their poor form partly to a transitional period following the departure of several key players before the start of the campaign.
“I know that right now my team is going through a difficult time. We are going through a transition after losing top players ahead of this season,” Mabena said.
“We hope we will turn the corner as the race progresses. We are a small team without resources, so the changes will not happen overnight.
“We should not forget that we were the second-best team in the league last season. There is still a long way to go before the end of this campaign, but we are asking our supporters for a little bit of patience.”
Meanwhile, Matlama maintained their perfect start to the campaign, extending their winning streak to five matches with a 2-1 victory over Limkokwing University.
The win leaves Matlama second in the standings with 15 points from five matches, just one point behind leaders Bantu, who have played one game more.
With a game in hand, Matlama remain firmly in contention as the battle for the league title begins to take shape.
Elsewhere, Lioli continued to drop points after being held to a goalless draw by Majantja.
The result marked Lioli’s second consecutive goalless draw, following a similar stalemate against Lijabatho last weekend.
Mzamane and Machokha also shared the spoils, playing out a 1-1 draw.
All yesterday’s matches were played at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena.