Linare stun FC Likhopo

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 09:33:00 +0000

Linare's Rethabile Selonyane is tightly marked by two FC Likhopo players in a league tie last Saturday

Linare made use of the chances they got to beat FC Likhopo in a league match at LCS Ground on Saturday.

The Leribe based-side was put in the lead by striker Norman Kumatse as early as fourth minute in the first half.Kumatse caught FC Likhopo’s defence off guar

Linare made use of the chances they got to beat FC Likhopo in a league match at LCS Ground on Sunday.

The Leribe based-side was put in the lead by striker Norman Kumatse as early as fourth minute in the first half. Kumatse caught FC Likhopo’s defence off guard, capitalising on the waterlogged LCS Ground, which saw the hosts (FC Likhopo)’s goalkeeper Fusi Ranone slipping in his attempt to close him down.

The ground was more waterlogged in the half where FC Likhopo started playing from after it rained heavily about 30 minutes before the kick-off. The rain even caused the delay of the kick-off by about 40 minutes.

FC Likhopo could not sit back after conceding that unfortunate first goal. They took the game to their opponents with an impressive attack but the hosts could not penetrate a solid Linare defence led by Michael Mireku in the last line of defence.

Linare, as that was the case, continued to use the advantage of the waterlogged pitch as they doubled the lead ten minutes before half-time through Makhabane Mpeli’s foot.

Mpeli calculated well from a combination by his teammates in the attack, shooting just over Ranone’s reach as FC Likhopo’s goalie was out of his goal area and the latter fisted the ball into his own net as he tried all he could do to save it.

FC Likhopo coach, Halemakale Mahlaha, made a substitution right from the half-time, introducing Lebohang Pitso in place of Mafa Mokhoele in the wing.

Linare were at the time to play from the side of the pitch that was waterlogged, and likewise FC Likhopo were looking to capitalise on that. The hosts however could not utilise several opportunities they got.

Moqolisi Mothae was close to scoring in the 66^th minute but was let down by a poor shot few metres away from the Linare’s eighteen areas, which the visitors’s goal-minder Sele Thetsane easily saved.

FC Likhopo once again missed another clear chance in the 84^th minute when Morena Mohlominyane squandered on an opportunity to find the back of the net from a long ball from goalkeeper Ranone, which caught Linare’s defence of guard.

Mohlominyane’ shot went slightly away from the goal-mouth.

Linare’s caretaker coach Moses Ramafole made two substitutions both at the same time few minutes from the half-time, replacing Basia Tseki and Rethabile Selonyane with Letuka Mosehlenyane and Lebajoa Mosehlenyane to strengthen his front-line.

The evergreen Lebajoa Mosehlenyane came on very effective to create chances for Linare but was tightly marked. The substitution of Selonyane on the other hand proved to be the wrong replacement as his absence saw FC Likhopo began to take control in the midfield and managed to make good some passes as they attack their opponents time and again.

That was not the case when Selonyane was still playing. He marshalled the midfield quite well and supplied his Linare teammates with good passes. FC Likhopo finally got a consolation goal very late in the game when Mohlominyane at last found the back of the net after Pitso took on Linare’s defence before he passed the ball to him.

Ramafole made another substitution late into the second half when he replaced Mpeli with Billy Pulumo to try and balance the game. But still Linare could not stop FC Likhopo from causing havoc in their half.

That was until the Leribe based-side were relieved by the final whistle as FC Likhopo were out to get the equaliser, pilling more pressure time and again in the dying minutes of the game. The slender victory saw Linare collecting 21 points from 13 matches of the first round.

Linare capitalising on the waterlogged LCS Ground, which saw the hosts (FC Likhopo)’s goalkeeper Fusi Ranone slipping in his attempt to close him down.

Linare, as that was the case, continued to use the advantage of the waterlogged pitch as they doubled the lead ten minutes before half-time through Makhabane Mpeli’s foot.

FC Likhopo coach, Halemakale Mahlaha, made a substitution right from the half-time, introducing Lebohang Pitso in place of Mafa Mokhoele in the wing.

Mohlominyane’ shot went slightly away from the goal-mouth.

The evergreen Lebajoa Mosehlenyane came on very effective to create chances for Linare but was tightly marked.

The substitution of Selonyane on the other hand proved to be the wrong replacement as his absence saw FC Likhopo began to take control in the midfield and managed to make good some passes as they attack their opponents time and again.

That was not the case when Selonyane was still playing. He marshalled the midfield quite well and supplied his Linare teammates with good passes.

FC Likhopo finally got a consolation goal very late in the game when Mohlominyane at last found the back of the net after Pitso took on Linare’s defence before he passed the ball to him.

That was until the Leribe based-side were relieved by the final whistle as FC Likhopo were out to get the equaliser, pilling more pressure time and again in the dying minutes of the game.

The slender victory saw Linare collecting 21 points from 13 matches of the first round.

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Linare stun FC Likhopo