Pressure mounts on VTM, Nico
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Saturday November 11, 2023 06:00
The fixtures were re-scheduled to pave the way for new Zebras coach, Didier Gomes da Rosa, to prepare the national team for the World Cup qualifiers. However, some Premier League teams’ action continues this weekend and time is slowly but surely running out for the bottom four sides. Morupule Wanderers have already bowed to pressure and parted ways with head coach, Rahman Gumbo, this week. Both Nico United and VTM FC are still backing their technical teams to find the winning formula and with the number of relegating teams increased to four this season, the sooner they start collecting points the better. VTM are at position 16 with only two points from six matches and are on the road this Saturday to face Police XI. Head coach, Leutlwetse Tshireletso has already highlighted that his troops seem to do well in away games than at home. Interestingly, the VTM Arena was their slaughterhouse last season when the team gained promotion. Tshireletso will hope that the away form will help them come out of Lobatse Sports Complex with their first win in their maiden Premier League appearance.
There is, however, one worrying factor going into the match against the Jungle Kings. The visitors have scored only one goal this season despite boasting experienced campaigners in the squad among them Ayanda Molefe and Sfiso Myeni. Victory will ease pressure on the technical team but they face a side that is currently oozing with confidence after staging a comeback to settle for a draw against defending champions, Jwaneng Galaxy. The Jungle Kings have also not yet hit the right gears and registered only one victory from six matches. Any slip-up this weekend will see the cops into the league's red bottom four positions. Nico United are also yet to win a match this season and face high-riding TAFIC at the Sam Sono Stadium on Sunday. It will be interesting to see who will come out tops between the teacher and the student.
TAFIC are doing well under Phillimon Makwengwe and sit at position seven with nine points. Nico on the other hand sit precariously at position 14 with only three points, under the tutelage of Wame Mokoke, who happens to be Makwengwe’s son. Under Mokoke, Nico have registered three draws and two losses. However, they have played five matches, one less than the rest of the pack. They also seem to be struggling with scoring goals despite the return of goal-poacher, Morgan Gaseitsiwe. Gaseitsiwe spent the last season at Township Rollers but struggled to fit in and has since returned to Nico on a season-long loan. It appears Makwengwe has turned TAFIC into a competitive side since joining them at the start of the season.
He helped Holy Ghost move out of the danger zone last season but surprisingly the two parties went their separate ways at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Matebele hope to bounce back to winning ways and take advantage of Rollers, Galaxy, GU, and Orapa United’s inactivity. They host Sua Flamingoes on Saturday in what is expected to be a thrilling encounter at Dinaledi Football Academy Stadium. Following a perfect start to the season, Matebele have now lost their last two matches including a 5-0 mauling at the hands of Gaborone United and head coach, Nicholas Woody Jacobs, says it is good that it happened that way. He said the losses are a wake-up call to his players. On Sunday, Masitaoka take on Holy Ghost while Security Systems host BDF XI in Lobatse. All the matches kick off at 4pm.