Moorosi Tsiane
ECONET Premier League pace setters LCS will be hoping top pick up the pieces and cement their place at the top of the log table when they host Linare at LCS Ground this afternoon.
Masheshena go into the match following their 2-1 loss to second placed Matlama at Setsoto Stadium last weekend.
The Mpitsa Marai coached outfit lead the pack with 33 points after 15 matches where they have won 10, drawn three and lost two.
Matlama, who will be up against LMPS this afternoon at PTC Ground, second with 32 points from 14 matches after seven wins, two losses and five draws.
Linare’s new coaching pair of Freeze Ntene and Moses Ramafole will be also desperate for a win after they lost 2-1 to Liphakoe last weekend.
Linare are 11th with 16 points from four wins, four draws and seven losses in the 15 matches they have played.
Marai said, although they have a good record against Linare, they are not going to undermine the side vowing the match would be different from the Matlama tie.
“We have recovered well and I think the boys are ready for the job on Sunday (today),” Marai said.
“We have lost to Matlama but we are over that now and our focus is on this match and it is going to be a different one from our last weekend loss because Linare are a different team and we know how stubborn they are.”
The former Likuena defender said his side will however, still be without the services of anchor Sepiriti Malefane and defender Refiloe Mothae who are both nursing injuries.
“We have worked hard on the mental strength of the players because we want to avoid complacency but they have been responding well and I believe we can win this match. However, the other challenge is that we will still be without our midfielder Sepiriti and the left back Mothae as they are still nursing injuries,” Marai said.
For his part, Ntene said they are prepared to give LCS a run for their money as they are still in search for their first win as Linare coaches.
“It has only been three weeks since our appointment as the new technical team and we have played two matches so far where we drew against Sefotha-fotha and lost to Liphakoe.
“So, we are desperate for those points as well and LCS should be prepared to get a run for their money. Of course, it will not be an easy match because we are still trying jell with the team but my boys are highly motivated now,” Ntene said.
He said they have to work on their players’ psychological state and he is convinced that they are now ready.
“It was not easy for them because this team is mostly made up of young players so losing was affecting their psychological mentality and we had to work on that first and I am impressed with what I have seen so far.
“LCS are surely under pressure now and on the other hand we don’t have any pressure but our target is to collect as many points as we can as we are aiming for a top eight finish,” Ntene said.
Ntene said they are building the team for next season.
“We arrived at a very bad time and didn’t even have time to put up structures on how we want to work so we are in a building process and next season we will be a different team altogether as we are also hoping to bring in some experienced players just to balance the team,” Ntene said.
In another match today, Sefotha-fotha host Liphakoe at PTC Ground.
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