The appointment of Spaniard Antonio Jesus Flores as Sandawana coach & His Assistance Freeze Ntene
. . . as league action returns
Mikia Kalati
SANDAWANA will be seeking redemption in their Vodacom Premier League clash with LMPS at Pitso Ground on Saturday.
Coach, Antonio Jesus Flores’s side have not won in four matches since the Spaniard assumed the reins at the Butha Buthe side in February.
The club’s public relations officer, Bokang Phasumane told this publication that they were concerned after the back-to back losses.
“On Tuesday the management of the club had a meeting with the players to correct our poor form,” Phasumane said.
“It is not good that we have gone four games without a win but there is hope that things will change for the better this weekend against LMPS.”
Phasumane said the technical team led by Flores and the players vowed to return to winning ways against the police side.
He said it was the players needed time to adapt to the philosophy of their Spanish coach who arrived in the country early in February.
“If you look in the way we play, we are not that bad and it’s only that we haven’t been scoring goals to win games.
“I think the players are slowly getting to understand the philosophy of the coach now that he has been with them for weeks.
“The problem in football is that a coach is expected to deliver immediately while he needs time to implement his way of doing things,” Phasumane said.
Phasumane also said their striker Roboama Koloti who is on loan at LMPS was ineligible to face his parent club, adding this would work to their advantage.
For his part, LMPS coach Mosito Matela said his side needed maximum points as much as Sandawana, adding the best team on the day would win the match.
He however, bemoaned the recent injury to their skipper, Basia Makepe.
“It’s a big blow and it has affected us a lot.
“But as a coach it is my duty to come up with another plan in situation like this,” Matela said.
“He was already injured in our last match against Bantu so it tells you that we can survive without him.”
Matela expressed satisfaction with the progress made by his team compared to the previous campaigns where they would be involved in the relegation dogfight.
“Our target was to have a good start to the season and we achieved that, unlike in other seasons where the team had to play for survival.
“It is important to win on Saturday because that can go a long way in helping us finish in the top four.”
Matela said his side had a good chance and all they had to do was “make good use of the home advantage to collect maximum points”.
In the other Saturday match, Liphakoe host Sky Battalion in Quthing.
On Sunday, all roads lead to LCS Ground for a double header featuring Kick4Life against Matlama in the first match while LCS go head to head with pacesetters Bantu in the second match.
Second placed Lioli have an easier task against basement club Butha Buthe Warriors while LDF welcome Linare to Ratjomose Barracks.
The last of the Sunday matches will see Rovers host Likhopo at Machabeng Ground in Roma in a game that could decide the premier league fate of both teams.
Rovers are second from bottom and Likhopo is one place above them.
Weekend Vodacom Premier League fixtures:
Saturday
LMPS v Sandawana
Liphakoe v Sky Battalion
Sunday
LCS v Bantu
Kick4Life v Matlama
Rovers v Likhopo
LDF v Linare
