Moorosi Tsiane
WE ARE slowly approaching the finishing line of the Econet Premier League season and it looks like the country’s most successful team, Matlama, is the favourite to clinch the title and walk away M500 000 richer.
The Sea Point outfit will go into this weekend’s fixture against Galaxy sitting comfortably at the summit of the 14-team table with 53 points. Matlama are enjoying a five-point lead ahead of second placed Bantu who are on 48 points.
Tse Putsoa were rampant on Monday adding on to the misery of the relegation threatened Majantja thumping them 5-0.
Matlama have enjoyed a great season and have been on top of the league table since early in the second round of the season.
While Bantu are second, trailing with five points, they are yet to play their second leg with Matlama, which is scheduled for 4 May 2019.
Matlama have been one of the most consistent teams in the league this season but unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the defending champions, Bantu.
The match between the two sides has all the qualities of becoming the title decider and it is not going to be an easy one for the eventual winners.
If Matlama are to end their nine-seasons’ league trophy drought and win their record 10th league title, they will have to beat Bantu next month because as it stands, third placed LCS have stuttered and are no longer in the race for the title.
I know every win is important for Matlama now and should they beat Bantu, they will extend their lead to eight points and eventually be crowned the league champions with two matches to spare. This is because even if Bantu will go on and win their remaining matches, they will not be able to cover the eight points’ gap.
Questions were asked when Thabile Secker was appointed coach at the start of the season replacing Mosito Matela and now it looks like Secker is the man Matlama needed to guide them to paradise as each week they edge closer to league triumph.
On paper, apart from the Bantu game, Matlama are left with relatively easier opponents in Galaxy, Sefothafotha and Linare. Bantu on the other hand, are faced with tougher games against LCS, Matlama, arch rivals Lioli and Sefotha-fotha.
After a very long time, will we see Secker breaking the Lioli and Bantu dominance and lead Matlama to a league title?
Bantu and Lioli have dominated the league winning titles interchangeably from the 2013/14 season up to last season.