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Lioli, Matlama to lock horns

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Teboho Molapo

MASERU — The Lioli-Matlama match, Lesotho’s biggest club fixture, will be played this Friday on Moshoeshoe’s Day.

The highly anticipated match, dubbed the Battle of Lesotho, has been postponed several times mainly because of the schedule of the national Under-20 team.

Both Lioli and Matlama have key players involved with the Makoanyane XI which qualified for the Caf African Youth Championship last October and has had a hectic timetable ever since.

Surprisingly the Premier League has confirmed the hotly-contested clash will be played in Teyateyaneng.

Last March the league said games between Lesotho’s top crowd pullers would be played at neutral venues after serious violence during a match between the sides at Pitso Ground last January.

The return match between the sides was subsequently played at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena.

And because of the fierce rivalry that has grown between the two sides it was thought this season’s encounters would also be played at neutral venues.

Lioli’s Teyateyaneng home fortress, like most other football grounds in Lesotho, does not have adequate security features.

Although the ground now has a perimeter fence around it, the arrangement inside is still haphazard.

Nevertheless speaking to the Sunday Express last week Premier League chairman, Tlholo Letete, said the league and Lioli will ensure there is a strong security presence at the game adding he was confident the match would pass without incident.

“We had said that we will look at the state of affairs ahead of the matches and Lioli’s ground hasn’t had any incidents in the past of serious concern,” Letete told the Sunday Express on Thursday.

“We have asked to meet the management of Lioli to discuss the security measures,” Letete added.

“The police have to be there, there have to be visible marshals and visible security personnel.”

Letete said the league would meet with Lioli officials on Wednesday.

Friday’s clash will be the first time the two giants lock horns in the league this season.

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