PREMIER league pacesetters Bantu look well on track to finally end their long wait for the league title.
The Mafeteng-based side beat bitter rivals Lioli 1-0 in a top-of-the-table clash at Setsoto on Saturday to comfortably command their place at the summit of the 14-team Premiership log.
Not only did the win give Bantu a five-point cushion over their fierce rivals, it was also a match that saw A Matšo Matebele complete a rare double over Tse Nala after beating them 2-1 in the first round fixture played at the same venue.
Surely, Saturday’s victory has lifted the spirit of the Bantu players who will now be going for the kill to make sure they don’t choke again the way they did last season when losing the title to Lioli in the dying stages of the league marathon.
Of course, the race is not over yet, as the Mafeteng outfit still have to play the likes of Matlama, LCS and LDF who have proved to be tricky opponents for them in the past.
Lioli must also now put the disappointment of losing twice to their rivals behind them because this contest is not over yet and one thing is certain — the race for the league championship will go down to the wire.
Bantu have had a remarkable run so far in the campaign and remain the only side yet to lose a league match while they have also only conceded four goals.
Like I said before, credit should go to the management of the club led by their president, Leuta Leuta.
Leuta and his committee have worked hard to make Bantu a force to be reckoned with since returning to topflight football about five seasons ago.
Bantu have since won three back-to-back Independence Cup titles and finished runners-up to league champions Lioli last season.
Saturday’s clash was also marred by violent incidents which I feel have no place in our football
We are long past the days when football fans protested by throwing objects onto the pitch, which is why we call on the Premier League to come down hard on on those who brought the beautiful game into disrepute.
Let me also take time to wish our national team, Likuena, well ahead of friendlies against Swaziland to be played tomorrow and Saturday at Setsoto Stadium.
It has been almost eight months since the team last played an international friendly match.
The matches come after Seephephe ‘Mochini’ Matete was appointed caretaker coach, replacing Leslie Notši and we all wait to see what he can bring to the table.
There are also a number of changes in the team that see long-time skipper, Moitheri Ntobo missing from the squad while Lioli striker, Nkoto Masoabi, has a chance to make use of his club goal-scoring for the national team’s benefit.
