Moorosi Tsiane
LDF coach Motheo Mohapi says his charges are prepared to push the title race to the wire and present stiff competition to the likes of Econet Premier League Champions Bantu and archrivals Lioli.
Sohle-Sohle are second most decorated team with eight domestic leagues behind Matlama who have nine.
However, the team has endured 14 years without a league title since they last won the coveted trophy in 2004. The side’s trophy cabinet last got new silverware in 2008 when they won the now defunct Buddie Top4.
Last season however, the team exuded determination to regain its lost glory when it finished third after Bantu and Lioli.
The side however showed some serious improvement last season and ended third behind Bantu and Lioli respectively.
A buoyant Mohapi said it was now time to bring back the good days as they now have players who can compete with the best in the country.
“We have been struggling for a long time but last season was different as we finished in the top three,” Mohapi told the Sunday Express recently.
Mohapi said their off-season preparations have gone well and said although the late start of the league that commences next weekend is a setback, his charges are ready to do battle.
“I think we had a good pre-season and the boys are ready for the league. The only setback was that the league is starting later than what we had anticipated so that disrupted our programme. We started our preparations early and we gave the players a break along the way because we did not anticipate that the league would start this late.
“However, we have to build from last season’s performance and ensure that we remain at the top with the big guns because that is where we are supposed to be,” Mohapi said.
The former Likuena midfielder also spoke about his side’s increased number of players in the senior national team for the forthcoming game against Cape Verde this afternoon.
LDF had four players in the provisional Likuena squad namely Tšepo Toloane, Lepheana Mofolo, Thabang Rabi and Likano Mphuthi. Mofolo and Rabi however, failed to make in onto the final list.
“It is fulfilling to see my players representing the national team. Back in the days LDF used to have many players in the national team but things changed. Now that the national team coaches are starting to recognise my players means a lot about what we are doing as a team.
“It shows that we have a better team this time around than the past few seasons and we are happy about it.”
LDF will begin their 2018/19 Econet Premier League campaign at home against Majantja on Saturday.