MASERU — Life is good in Mafeteng at the moment.
Two weeks into their return to the Premier League, Bantu are unbeaten and sitting proudly atop the top flight log.
Whether their 0-0 home draw with Majantja last Sunday means the beginning of a dip in form remains to be seen — this weekend Bantu face LDF — however in the meantime Matšo Makaota can bask in the glory of being Lesotho’s top dogs for the first time in many moons.
In the crammed, rushed marathon that is the 2009/10 season, Bantu also played Lerotholi on Saturday winning 1-0.
But that mission at Fokothi robbed them of their goal-scorer against Lihale, Lebohang Mokhobocho, and the energy necessary to beat a Majantja side that had showed in their opening day 1-0 loss to LMPS that they won’t be pushovers this season.
To boot, the Mohale’s Hoek side had not played on Saturday.
The weather was also not on Bantu’s side against Majantja — in Lesotho’s dust-bowl fields wind is always an unwanted visitor.
Unfortunately wind never knocks at the door, and on Sunday it played havoc at Bantu’s home ground. With both teams’ players unable to consistently pass to their teammates chances were at a luxury.
A goal-less draw was an almost inevitable score-line.
Nevertheless seven points from a possible nine represents a good return for Bantu. Their first three games have shown promise as well.
There have been fleeting moments where they’ve shown they could be a force to reckon with and that before talented linkmen Tefo Maipati and Moses Ramafole have clicked.
The defence marshalled by Lebohang Khoete and Tlali Maile with the posts guarded by Makoa Tšoeunyane has looked solid enough.
But the real business for Bantu begins now. Their next four games are against joint-leaders LDF, improving Likhopo, improved Matlama and champions Lioli.
The green part of Leribe should also be smiling this week — Linare were awake at the weekend and looked quite good. On Saturday they thumped a hapless Butha-Buthe Roses 4-0 before beating Joy 2-0 on Sunday.
People are always smiling in Teyateyaneng these days, Lioli haven’t lost a league game since a 2-0 defeat to LMPS in January. After a 0-0 draw with title rivals LCS on Saturday they beat Nyenye Rovers on Sunday.
It was a good weekend for: LDF and Linare
The only two sides to pick up maximum points, LDF and Linare can be satisfied with their weekend’s work.
It was a bad weekend for: Butha-Buthe Roses.
Just two weeks into the championship the hapless Butha-Buthe side are looking sure bets for relegation. After being thumped 4-0 at home by Linare on Saturday, Roses put up a bitter fight but ultimately still lost their game 2-1. It means with three games gone they have conceded nine goals and scored just one, landing them at the bottom of the league.
Weekend results:
Saturday
LDF 1-0 LMPS
Likhopo 0-1 Nyenye Rovers
Butha-Buthe Roses 0-4 Linare
Lerotholi Polytechnic 0-1 Bantu
Lioli 0-0 LCS
Mphatlalatsane 0-3 Joy
Matlama vs Swallows (match abandoned)
Sunday
Joy 0-2 Linare
Bantu 0-0 Majantja
Lerotholi Polytechnic 2-1 Butha-Buthe Roses
LCS 1-0 Mphatlalatsane
LDF 2-0 Rovers
LMPS 0-2 Matlama
Swallows 0-1 Likhopo
Nyenye Rovers 0-1 Lioli
