28 June 2018 – Limpopo Sasol League leaders, First Touch Academy have a chance to open a five-point gap at the top with a victory over former champions MaIndies FC at Seshego Stadium this Sunday.
The Polokwane-based side remain the only team with a perfect record so far this season, with twelve wins from twelve matches, but they have a chance to lay down a marker with success over one of the title challengers.
A win for MaIndies will see them retake top spot which they occupied from the commencement of the season till they were held to a goalless home draw by Morning Stars a month ago. That remains the only game which MaIndies have dropped points so far this season.
First Touch coach, Thabo Tlouane has targeted maximum 45 points in the first round of the league, and his target of winning all the first round games is once again coming under a serious test.
“We are very much prepared. We have had a gruelling winter programme, which took a lot of energy out of our players. I’m glad that we managed to collect maximum points in those matches, and that has kept us top of the log. But we are facing a MaIndies side that are very difficult. They are former champions and are coached by Isaiah Sehlapelo. They have a lot of experience within their ranks. That makes them very dangerous,” he said.
During some of the tough winter fixture programme, First Touch played Chippas Ladies in Makhuvha Stadium and also visited Morning Stars.
“We have had a good away run in the past, and we hope to continue with that good run. We have the arsenal and the players are beginning to believe. We expect an interesting and exciting match. MaIndies are a very good side, but we are also good in our own right, considering the way we have started the season. I don’t see us under pressure going into this game. We expect the good run to continue, and the unbeaten home record to stand,” Tlouane said.
Apart from skipper Jeannett Fisher, who has been ruled out for four months with a long-term injury, Tlouane should have all his players available for the match.
MaIndies will welcome the visitors with confidence following their 11-0 victory over Botlokwa Ladies five days ago, a result that saw them make it four wins in their last four games. The teams have 34 points and will be hoping to make a little piece of history by becoming the first team to stop First Touch.
Sehlapelo told the SAFA.net that they will approach the game cautiously without any special treatment for the opponents.
“We have no special preparations as such, but we just have to go there and fight. We have to go there and have that same mentality as any other day. We are fully aware, of course, that they are on top of the table and have maximum points and are tipped to win the league,” said Sehlapelo.