…as Lioli title defence continues to suffer
…Lijabatho extend impressive run
Leemisa Thuseho
VODACOM Premier League (VPL) strugglers, Members FC’s interim coach, Thabang Tšehla, remains optimistic that his side can turn their fortunes around and escape the relegation zone.
This follows Members’ narrow 1–0 defeat at the hands of Bantu on Sunday at the LCS Ground.
Members, who are new to the topflight after earning promotion from the A Division League last season, have struggled to meet VPL standards and have spent much of the campaign rooted at the bottom of the log standings.
Out of 16 matches played, Members have managed just one victory — a surprise 3–0 win over Manonyane in October last year. They have lost 11 matches and drawn four, leaving them bottom of the table in 16th position with seven points.
With the second round of the league having kicked off over the weekend, Tšehla believes there is still a long way to go in the race for survival and that Members can accumulate enough points to avoid relegation.
“Despite the poor run in the first round, there is light at the end of the tunnel,” Tšehla said in a post match interview on Sunday.
He said losing narrowly to a side of Bantu’s calibre was a positive sign that the team is improving. Members were the most conceding side during the first round of the league.
“In the first round we were known as the most conceding team, but with today’s (Sunday) result and in previous games where we drew 1–1 with Matlama, one can see that there is improvement in that regard,” he said.
“We are going to fight until the end.”
Meanwhile, Lioli’s title defence continues to unravel after they were held to a surprising goalless draw by Liphakoe in Maputsoe on Sunday. Prior to that encounter, Lioli had suffered a 1–0 defeat to Lifofane. The champions are currently fifth on the log with 29 points.
At the top of the table, Lijabatho extended their impressive run after edging Limkokwing University 1–0 on Saturday. Since losing 2–0 to Lioli on 22 October last year, Lijabatho have gone 12 matches unbeaten.
As things stand, Lijabatho lead the standings with 35 points, three points clear of second-placed Lifofane, who have 32 points.
