Moorosi Tsiane
MASERU — The race for the championship of the Vodacom Premier League is expected to resume with the gusto that characterised the first round of the battle as the giants clash this afternoon in the second round.
The second session of the 2013-14 premier league will see some very exciting encounters take place today while yesterday’s matches were cancelled to allow the football fraternity to pay their respects to late the Likhopo founder and coach Bishop Molatoli who was laid to rest yesterday.
Defending league champions Lioli will take on Nyenye Rovers in their last premier league match before their continental appearance where they will take on their Angolan counterparts Premiero de Agosto in the preliminary stages of the Confederations of African champions on February 9.
The other epic battle of the opening matches will see Bantu, who are yet to lose in the league, renewing their rivalry with Mpharane Celtics as the two sides meet in Mafeteng.
Bantu will come into the match with a wounded ego following their early exit from the LNIG Top 8 tournament, but their coach Motlatsi Shale is confident that their past results will not disrupt his team’s dreams of winning the league.
“I will have to work hard to motivate the players this week and I believe our exit the Top 8 will not affect our performance coming to the league. We will continue with the fine form that we displayed during the first round,” Shale said.
In another encounter Likhopo will face an uphill task as they face LCS for the third time in three consecutive weeks having lost in the past two encounters by a one-nil margin.
Likhopo will still be without the services of their talented winger, Tumelo Khutlang who is still nursing an ankle injury sustained while on national duty during the recent past Council of Southern African Football Association (Cosafa) youth Under 20 championships tournament played last December.
Newly appointed Likhopo interim coach, Tšeliso Mofolo who had taken over from the late Molatoli said they were faced with a fierce battle against the correctional service side.
He said goal scoring was still their main problem which had even cost them the Top 8 but they had since gone back to the drawing board to rectify their mistakes and are determined to win.
Premier league fixture:
Sunday:
LMPS vs Joy
LCS vs Likhopo
Bantu vs Mpharane Celtics
Lioli vs Nyenye Rovers
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