Lijabatho secured a 1-0 victory over Manonyane in a midweek fixture at the Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena, ending Manonyane's unbeaten start to the season. The match saw Lijabatho's Teboho Masuoane score the only goal in the 15th minute. Manonyane had been hoping to upset the defending champions, but ultimately fell short. The win marked Lijabatho's second in four games, while Manonyane suffered their first defeat in four matches.
Manonyane showed no fear from the start, taking the game to Lijabatho and matching them in the opening exchanges. However, despite creating some chances, they struggled to find the back of the net. Lijabatho, on the other hand, continued to push for a second goal, but Manonyane goalkeeper Katleho Mathetsa made several good saves to keep his team in the contest. Mathetsa, who also plays for the Makoanyane XI, was instrumental in keeping the score at 1-0.
The second half saw Lijabatho create several opportunities, but they were unable to capitalize. Manonyane, meanwhile, showed resilience and fighting spirit, despite lacking sharpness in the final third. Their inexperience in attack appeared to contribute to their failure to seriously test the Lijabatho defence. Lijabatho were awarded a penalty just after the hour mark, but Mathetsa kept out the initial effort and then made another save from the rebound.
The penalty save was one of several impressive stops made by Mathetsa, who is a former teammate of Lijabatho's Jane Thabantšo at Matlama. Despite the saves, Lijabatho held on for a 1-0 victory, ending Manonyane's unbeaten run after four matches. The win saw Lijabatho climb from 10th to sixth place on the log, while Manonyane slipped from sixth to seventh.
Lijabatho assistant coach Tiisetso Molete admitted that his team had not produced its best performance, despite securing the three points. He cited injuries as a factor, particularly among players who featured for the club in the CAF Champions League last month. Molete also noted that his team had to adjust their formation during the game due to the circumstances.
Manonyane assistant coach Motšoane Lepheana blamed defensive mistakes for the defeat, but was pleased that his side managed to contain the champions after conceding early. He noted that his team's backline performance was not up to par, and that one of their centre-backs caused the penalty. Despite the defeat, Lepheana saw positives in his team's performance.
The two teams will face different opponents in their next matches, with Lijabatho set to face Members on Sunday at the Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena, and Manonyane traveling to Maputsoe to face Linare at the Saxophone Thejane Technical Centre. The results saw Lijabatho move up to eight points, while Manonyane have six points.
Key points
- Lijabatho's 1-0 victory over Manonyane ended Manonyane's unbeaten start to the season.
- The win marked Lijabatho's second in four games, while Manonyane suffered their first defeat in four matches.
- Lijabatho climbed from 10th to sixth place on the log, while Manonyane slipped from sixth to seventh.
