Mikia Kalati
MASERU — Third placed LDF broke Bantu’s 13 match unbeaten run when Mojela Letsie struck in the 81st minute to give the army side a hard-fought 1-0 victory in a Vodacom premier league tie at Ratjomose Barracks yesterday.
Lanky striker, Letsie, capitalised on a poor defensive error by Bantu goalkeeper, Daniel Jousse, to move his team within four points of the log leaders.
The win handed LDF their second successive win after coming from a goal behind to beat Qoaling Highlanders last weekend.
The two victories revived LDF’s hopes of ending a six-year league title drought.
Bantu’s loss could also see Lioli reclaiming the league’s top spot if they beat Likhopo in a league encounter set for Setsoto Stadium this afternoon.
The win on the other hand sees LDF maintain their third place position and move within four points of log leaders Bantu.
The Mafeteng side also had their fair chances to win the match in the early stages of the game as well as in the second half.
Mokone Marabe’s early strike was ruled offside within the opening 10 minutes of the game.
Caswell Moru’s side also had a good chance to go into the lead in the second half, but their top goal scorer, Litšepe Marabe, and main striker, Dlomo Monaphathi, blew blanks as their team suffered their first defeat in over a period of five months.
The visiting team’s technical team replaced Monaphathi with Lekhanya Lekhanya, who also struggled to find solutions to A Matšo Matebele’s goal scoring problems on the day.
Bantu played two successive draws against Lioli and LMPS in their last two previous league matches.
LDF coach, Motheo Mohapi, praised his team after they ended Bantu’s 13 match’s unbeaten run.
“We are very delighted with the win over the league leaders. It revives our chances to be in the race for the league title and also end a long drought for a trophy,” Mohapi said.
“The win also give us confidence going into the last remaining matches of the 2012/13 league campaign.”
The legendary former LDF and Likuena midfielder said his team were excellent on the day and played according to plan.
“The plan was to play an attacking football and everything went according to plan,” he said.
Bantu captain, Tlali Maile, told the Sunday Express that defeat was hard to take.
“It shows that we have to go back to the drawing board to rectify our mistakes,” Maile said.
“We are still a point ahead of Lioli who are in second position and we just have to make sure that we win our remaining matches to win the title.”
Elsewhere, defending league champions, LCS, succumbed to their fifth successive draw against league rookies Qoaling Highlanders after they were held to a goal-less draw at the Lesotho Correctional Services ground.
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