Maseru, March 13 — The Maseru based outfit Matlama FC have revived their title hopes after beating current league pacesetters Bantu FC 2-1 in the Vodacom Premier league match played at Setsoto stadium on Saturday.
This sold out Vodacom Premier League lived up to expectations where these two main rivals produced top flight soccer, entertaining the crowd that watched the proceedings with a total of three goals being scored.
When approached for comment, Matlama Communications and Marketing Manager (CMM), Mr. Tankiso Moletsane said there was no time to rejoice in the glory of having beaten their main rivals, saying a lot of effort still need to be done to win all the seven remaining matches in order to stand a better chance of retaining the league title.
He said Matlama players have an attitude of undermining the so-called small teams, making an example of having lost 2-0 against Liphakoe prior to the Bantu clash which they won 2-1.
Mr. Moletsane said Matlama played as a team and credited the win to Lazola Jokojokwane who is the former Bantu player who is now playing for the Maseru based team.
He said Jane Thabant’so as well as Phafa Ts’osane lived up to the expectations by scoring the two goals.
He stated that the win over Bantu did not improve Matlama’s position on the log standing but believe that if they could win upcoming matches, they could move up to second position.
Mr. Moletsane said they still need to win all the remaining seven matches where they still need to play against Linare and Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS), saying Matlama players need to change their mind set by playing badly against the so called small teams but doing well against big teams.
When asked if they still fancy their chances of retaining the Vodacom League title, he said there are only eight points separating current log leaders Bantu and Matlama with seven matches to go.
He believe that if they win all the remaining matches, Matlama will boost their chances of winning the league, saying Bantu are still to play against Linare, Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) and Lijabatho among other teams.
When approached for comment, Bantu FC CMM Mr. Pule Mosoatsi lamented unavailability of key players like goalkeeper Ntsane Lichaba, Litsepe Marabe who started on the bench, Lindokuhle and Tseliso Falene.
He said these are the key players who if available things could have been different, saying playing against a team of Matlama calibre, they should have gone all out to win.
Mr. Mosoatsi said Bantu Coach should have thought that after losing against Liphakoe, he would have it easy against Matlama, not aware that it would be a different game altogether.
He therefore appealed to the Bantu followers not to despair but to rally behind the team despite the team having lost matches in a row.
‘’We are now trying to rectify all these temporary setbacks and hopefully things will change for the better in the coming games,’’ he highlighted.
Matlama FC is still sitting in fifth position on the Vodacom Premier League log standing while Bantu are still perched at the summit of the table despite having lost against Lesotho Mounted Police Service and Matlama.
