MASERU — Lioli Football Club shot to the top of the Vodacom Premier League log after an emphatic 3-0 victory over Linare in Hlotse on Saturday signalling that the good times are back at the Teyateyaneng giants.
Sello ’Muso scored a brace in the second half before Linare’s Kopano Motaung scored an own goal towards the end of the game.
Before the Saturday match, Lioli were fifth on the log after a win and a draw in their first two matches of the season.
Lioli head coach, Retšelisitsoe Lephaila, told the Lesotho Times on Tuesday that they intended to stay on top of the log come end of season next May.
“This is just the new beginning for Lioli as we’ve not lost any game since the league started,” Lephaila said.
“We are on a mission to win the league because that is the mandate we’ve been given this year — to win the league and make Lioli’s supporters proud,” Lephaila said.
The Teyateyaneng giants coach said they were going to work harder to realise their dream of a league title.
“Our aim as a technical team is to sustain our position as the log pacesetters until we are crowned league winners come end of the season in May next year,” he said.
He insisted that all was well within the Tse Nala camp.
“The players, the core ingredients in our mission to win the league, are happy and motivated.
“The new salary increment and the winning bonuses we have introduced are keeping them on their toes to ensure that they fight for wins throughout the season,” Lephaila said.
Lioli are the only side apart from the three state-owned clubs — Lesotho Defence Force, Lesotho Correctional Services and Lesotho Mounted Police Service – that pays salaries to its players.
Lioli last season began paying their players salaries ranging between M400 and M1 000.
Players are also entitled to M110 each as winning bonuses.
“If players are happy, our job as the technical team becomes easier,” Lephaila said.
Lephaila last year led Likhopo FC to the Vodacom Soccer Spectacular title.
