Madidilane takes blame for Charity Cup loss

NTHAKO MAJORO

MAFETENG – It was a day of mixed emotions at the Leshoboro Stadium last Saturday, as Bantu coach, James Madidilane, took full responsibility for his team’s narrow 1-0 loss to arch-rivals Lioli in the Maluti Mountain Cement (MMC) Charity Cup final.

Coming off a commanding 3-0 win against the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Football Club in the semi-final, Bantu entered the final with high hopes but fell short when it mattered most. Reflecting on the game, Madidilane did not shy away from admitting his tactical errors.

“As for the changes that we made, I think that is our blame, and we have to take it,” said Madidilane.  “We tried to give other players a chance, believing they could match the performance of the regulars, but it did not work for us.”

Madidilane’s decision to rotate his squad for the final against Lioli backfired, as the team struggled to find rhythm and cohesion. While the coach’s intent was to give other players valuable minutes on the pitch, the gamble seemed to have disrupted the team’s flow and energy, something they desperately needed against their fierce rivals.

In a frank post-match interview, Madidilane admitted that Bantu’s performance in the final was far from what was expected. “We did not play like a team that wanted to win. Maybe we exhausted our energy in the first match, but which is not,” he said. “Congratulations to Lioli for scoring, but as for the overall performance of the match we did not play well. We lacked cohesion in midfield and attack. Despite Lioli playing with three defenders, we did not break down their defence or exploit the spaces on the wings.”

Madidilane went on to express disappointment in his team’s inability to challenge Lioli’s defence. “We never really threatened them. We could not get behind them even though there were spaces to utilise.”

Despite the defeat, the Bantu coach remained positive about the bigger picture. Madidilane said the Charity Cup loss would not derail the team’s focus on the Vodacom Premier League, which had just kicked off two weeks earlier.

“I believe the momentum and consistency are still there. Yes, we lost this final, and a win would have been a morale boost, but our primary target is the league championship,” he said.  “These results will not affect us. We need to focus on the league, which for me is the bigger prize.” Bantu’s early form in the 2024/25 season has been promising, with victories over Majantja (2-0) and Mzamane (3-0) respectively.

Madidilane is confident that his team’s strong start will carry them through the league campaign, despite the setback in the Charity Cup. “We did not come here to lose the final (but will take this defeat in stride and move forward),” he said. Madidilane’s focus now turns to Bantu’s next league match against Manonyane at the Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena on Sunday, where the team will aim to bounce back from the disappointment of the Charity Cup.

Bantu, the former Lesotho Premier League champions, finished third in the 16-team log table last season. With Madidilane at the helm, the team is determined to reclaim their title and ensure that this defeat becomes a mere footnote in their pursuit of glory.