Bantu FC confirm January 13 for battle with Rangers

Bantu FC of Lesotho have confirmed that the first leg match of their CAF Confederation Cup play-off with Rangers International of Enugu will hold Sunday, January 13. While also revealing that tickets for the match are already on sale at a leading shopping outlet across the country, Bantu affirmed that the tie with Rangers will commence by 4.00 p.m. at their home ground in Mafeteng, reports footballlive.ng.

The club, which was established in 1927 and are nicknamed A Mats’o Matebele, will host The Flying Antelopes at the 7,000 capacity Leshoboro Seeiso Sports Complex in Mafeteng.

Ahead of the game, Bantu’s chairman, Leuta John Leuta, as well as the team manager, Tseliso Ramatla and coach, James Madidilane are putting heads together on the best ways possible to ensure they win at home.

Bantu FC, which won Lesotho Premier League titles in 2014, 2017 and 2018, as well as Lesotho Cup in 1963, 1993, 1997, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017, believe they can pull off an upset against Rangers.

Former Bloemfontein Celtic and Amaglug-glug defender, Madidilane led Bantu FC to clinch the Lesotho Vodacom Premier League in his first year coaching in the Mountain Kingdom.

Madidilane, whose previous coaching experience was at Roses United, as well as at Bloemfontein Celtic youth teams, got to Lesotho before the 2016/17 season began, on the recommendation of Lehlohonolo Seema.

He and Madidilane played and coached together at Celtic before Seema worked his way to coach the Siwelele’s senior team.

Madidilane said not only has he won the biggest domestic prize, but he has also improved his coaching credentials by getting the CAF ‘B’ license.

“The whole idea of coming to Lesotho was to learn as a young coach with inspiration to coach in the PSL in the future, but I’m very happy that my first year has yielded such a big trophy.

“I do not think I would have been able to achieve everything without the good support systems that were available to me at Bantu.

“I was also lucky to work with a technical team of humble people that assisted me from day one,” Madidilane said.