Lijabatho Football Club continue to assert their growing influence in the Vodacom Premier League (VPL) after dismantling Maroala FC 6–1 in a catch-up match played on Wednesday at Morija Ground.
The emphatic victory sent a clear message to the rest of the league, confirming Lijabatho’s credentials as serious title contenders and underlining their emergence as one of the season’s three rising underdogs, alongside Lifofane FC and Majantja FC.
Once considered outsiders, the trio have injected new energy into the title race and are challenging the traditional powerhouses with fearless and consistent performances.
Lijabatho’s commanding display helped them reclaim top spot on the log and highlighted their attacking depth and growing confidence as the season gathers momentum. Their rise has added fresh intrigue to a tightly contested championship, where margins remain razor-thin at the summit.
On the same day, defending champions Lioli FC kept pace with the leaders after edging struggling Limkokwing University (LU) FC 2–1, ensuring the pressure at the top remains intense.
Elsewhere, LCS FC were held to a goalless draw by Majantja FC in a rescheduled VPL fixture played in Maseru on Sunday. The match, originally postponed before last year’s Christmas break, was carried over into the 2026 calendar.
Majantja once again demonstrated why they are now regarded as one of the league’s most difficult opponents. Playing at home, LCS had hoped to begin the new year with a victory, but Majantja proved disciplined and resilient.
After the match, LCS coach Leslie Notši said his team had gone into the game determined to collect maximum points, particularly in front of their supporters.
“This is a match we really expected to win. Majantja are a very strong side. Their players are young, energetic, quick and physically strong.”
Notši reflected on LCS’s recent run, noting that the team had recovered well after a difficult spell late last year.
“We finished the year in good spirits. We were no longer losing matches, and we managed to win our final game.”
That win was a 2–0 victory over Machokha FC, which boosted confidence heading into the new year. Despite settling for a draw, Notši admitted LCS had missed a chance to claim all three points.
“We created many chances but failed to score. Although we came prepared for a tough match, as the game progressed we believed we could win it.”
He also praised the quality of football on display.
“The quality of football we saw today was very high. This is good not only for LCS, but for Lesotho football as a whole.”
Notši revealed that LCS were without key player Nkhabu Maisa, who is currently in South Africa for family reasons.
“This is the reality of amateur football. If this were professional football, a player would understand that this is a job and would be expected to return. However, we understand family matters.”
The team has also been unsettled by the recent resignation of assistant coach Tšepo Hlojeng. Despite this, Notši commended his players’ discipline.
“My players showed great patience. They stood firm against a very strong team.”
Majantja coach Bafokeng Mohapi said fatigue affected his side after a demanding schedule.
“As with every match, we wanted a win and all three points,” he said.
Mohapi explained that Majantja had resumed training on January 2 and played a physically taxing midweek match against Matlama.
“We did not have enough time to rest and train after the Matlama match. We focused mainly on allowing the players to rest and recover.”
He admitted his side struggled to maintain concentration in possession.
“We lost the ball too often due to a lack of concentration. The players seemed to forget what they normally do well, and we need to go back to training to remind them.”
Despite late pressure from Majantja, LCS held firm, with defender Tankiso Chaba delivering a standout performance to earn the Man of the Match award.
Meanwhile, Lijabatho’s growing stature was further underlined off the field after Matlama FC striker Jane Thabantšo played his final match for the club. His farewell ended in disappointment as Matlama were held to a draw by bottom-placed Members FC.
Thabantšo, who served Matlama for more than 15 years, has now joined Lijabatho FC, a significant boost to the league leaders and further evidence of their rising influence.
Matlama coach Shalane Lehohla said his team’s issues were largely mental.
“We seemed slow to start in all halves of the game. Sometimes you think the team is progressing well, but sometimes you see a sluggish performance, and this shows the problem is in their heads.”
Members FC head coach Tšehla said concentration remains his team’s biggest challenge.
“Our problem is mental endurance. We start well, but later we lose concentration. We need to play the full 90 minutes with the same focus.”
After 14 matches, Lijabatho lead the VPL standings with 29 points, followed closely by Lioli FC and fellow underdogs Lifofane FC on 28 points each. LU FC and Members FC remain at the bottom with nine and seven points respectively.
Summary
- Lijabatho Football Club continue to assert their growing influence in the Vodacom Premier League (VPL) after dismantling Maroala FC 6–1 in a catch-up match played on Wednesday at Morija Ground.
- The emphatic victory sent a clear message to the rest of the league, confirming Lijabatho’s credentials as serious title contenders and underlining their emergence as one of the season’s three rising underdogs, alongside Lifofane FC and Majantja FC.
- Elsewhere, LCS FC were held to a goalless draw by Majantja FC in a rescheduled VPL fixture played in Maseru on Sunday.
Seabata Mahao is a general news reporter with special focus on Business and Sports. Started working at Newsday in 2021. Working in a team with a shared goal is what I enjoy most and that gives me the motivation to work under any environment leading to growth.
