MASERU — The unpredictable nature of this Vodacom Premiership season continued at the weekend.
Certainly, few could have predicted Bantu would thump LCS 4-0 in Sunday’s surprise? if not shock? result in Mafeteng, to inflict Masheshena their heaviest defeat in five years.
The drubbing — which comes a week after LCS picked six points — once again, highlights the fall of LCS and their inconsistency.
On the league front, LCS drop down to seventh position on the 16-team log after the humiliating loss? already their third of the campaign.
For Bantu, the win represents the best possible start to life back in the topflight.
Although Bantu are yet to dazzle on the pitch, their pragmatic style has brought the Mafeteng side within two points of log-leaders Lioli? albeit with the defending champions having played one match less.
On Sunday, goals from striker Thabo Ramokoena (2), Tanki Makhele and a penalty by rejuvenated playmaker Tefo Maipato were enough to give Bantu victory, much to the delight of coach, Bafokeng Mohapi.
“The boys played very well,” Mohapi said. “We were expecting a tough game from Masheshena after playing them in the Vodacom Spectacular. We knew all about LCS; it was about changing our game (plan) from the way we played the last time we met,” he added.
But Mohapi is not getting carried away and has preached caution. “The first round is not over — it’s still too early in the season. We have to take it one game at a time; we don’t want to put pressure on the players by talking about winning the championship,” Mohapi said when the inevitable question of Bantu challenging for the league title cropped-up.
In Roma, there was a battle to just stay in the league as Roma Rovers got their first win since the opening day of the season, with a 2-1 win over free-falling Nyenye Rovers.
It was Nyenye’s sixth defeat in a row and the result drops them to second-from-bottom on the log while Roma Rovers leapfrog from position 15 to 13th.
But Roma — with seven points in 10 matches — are still six points from safety.
Just below Roma Rovers are Majantja, who lost 2-3 to Linare in a five-goal thriller in Mohale’s Hoek. However, the match was marred by violence with Majantja fans attacking match officials.
Meanwhile, after the weekend results, the top seven sides in the league are now incredibly separated by just three points.
