DEFENDING league champions Bantu FC began the 2020/21 Vodacom Premier League with a bang when they walloped hosts Kick4Life FC 3-0 in a league opener at Setsoto stadium on Saturday.
sports
Dec. 14, 2020
TEBOHO JAFETA
2 min read
Bantu begin new season on high note
Kick4Life (in blue and green outfit) in action against Bantu on Saturday
The unrelenting A-Matšo-Matebele were unstoppable and caused a lot trouble for their opponents, giving them little space for breathing.
In their brief moment of retaliation, Kick4Life also made an impressive attempt at Bantu’s goal posts in the first stanza, forcing the visitors’ defender Motlomelo Mkwanasi to cause a penalty.
But Kick4Life could not convert it as Bantu goalkeeper Thabo Selisa made a brilliant save to keep A-Matšo-Matebele’s starting sheet clean.
A cross in the 20th minute by Bantu midfielder Tšepang Sefali forced Kick4Life defender Moruti Thamahane to score an own goal, putting the visitors in the lead.
Bantu FC were even more focused in the second half and another assist by Sefali saw Litšepe Marabe extending their lead in the early minutes of the stanza.
A few minutes later, Litšepe’s elder brother Mokone (Marabe) sealed the hosts’ fate with a third goal.
In a post-match interview, Bantu head coach Bob Mafoso said his charges were a bit distracted during the first half and failed to connect well as a unit.
“The seven months of inactivity affected my players psychologically and that became more evident in the first half. We however, talked some sense into them during the halftime break and they returned more focused in the second half.
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“Overall, we played quite well and I am happy with the result, it is good to start the season like this. We are now looking forward to our next matches. We have to think about playing many matches within a short time and by December 23, we should have played four league games,” Mafoso also said.
For his part, Kick4Life coach Motebang Makhetha said despite the loss, his charges performed impressively against the defending champions.
“I give them 75 percent for standing their ground so well against a big team like Bantu which recently competed in the CAF Champions League,” he said.
Makhetha said they recently promoted 16 players from the B Division to join the Premier League.
“I only spent a little time with them so I still need to get to know them better and nurture them as much as I can. They need more parenting in order to improve their game. But I am not going to pile too much pressure on them as yet,” he promised.
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