Teboho Molapo
MASERU — LCS coach Mafa Ramakau will be back on the bench when Masheshena host Botha-Bothe Roses at the Central Prisons this afternoon.
Ramakau, popularly known as Ribbo, resumed his duties on Wednesday after spending two weeks at the Makoanyane Military Hospital.
On March 4, the veteran coach was admitted to hospital in a critical condition after having complained of flu the previous day.
Masheshena were then temporarily taken over by a three-man panel of Liphapang Motanya, Sidwell Mothea and Ramohai Ntšasa.
On Thursday, Ramakau said he had recovered and had already resumed his duties.
“I am much better now. I will be in charge of the team when we play Roses,” he said.
Despite reportedly struggling to hold training sessions, LCS still managed to win both their matches without Ramakau — 4-1 at home against LMPS on March 8, and 1-0 away to Joy last Saturday.
The results kept LCS’s chances of winning the league championship alive.
Masheshena, who claimed back-to-back titles in 2006/07 and 2007/08, came into the weekend’s action in sixth place on 37 points — 12 adrift of pacesetters Matlama.
But even so, Ramakau — who began his coaching career in 1979 with LDF, winning eight championships with the army side — insisted his main priority was to secure the top four spot.
“Right now, the most important thing is just to get into the top four. I can get the 12 points but to win the league title will depend on what the other contenders do,” he said.
Ramakau, who took charge of LCS in January after Katiso Mojakhomo’s dismissal last October, was nonetheless confident of a victory over Roses.
The Butha-Buthe outfit have been the division’s whipping boys, conceding 50 goals and scoring just 12 in their 22 matches this season.
“There is really nothing that worries me about them. What we have to do is get the three points,” Ramakau said.
Nevertheless Roses, knowing a loss could all but seal their relegation from the Vodacom Premier League, should put up a fight.
Roses have a paltry nine points and are bottom of the log with just eight matches before the season comes to a clown.
Meanwhile, two other teams facing relegation woes are at home this afternoon.
In Roma, second-from-bottom Rovers, with 11 points, host second-placed defending champions Lioli who have 42 points.
In Mohale’s Hoek Majantja, 14th on the league log with a measly 17 points, do battle with fourth-placed LDF who have 39 points.
Today’s fixtures:
LCS vs Botha-Bothe Roses (Central Prison); Rovers vs Lioli (Roma); Majantja vs LDF (Mohale’s Hoek); LMPS vs Mphatlalatsane (Old Europa).
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