The Lesotho Football Association is mourning the passing of former Likuena coach Moses Maliehe, who died on Friday following a long illness.
LeFA Secretary General Mokhosi Mohapi expressed his sadness with the passing of Maliehe and stated that all matches played under the auspices of the Lesotho Football Association starting this weekend will observe a moment of silence in respect of the former Likuena coach.
“It is with a very solemn and heavy heart that I inform you about the passing away of Mr. Moses Maliehe, the former Lioli FC player and coach, Matlama coach and the national U-20 team, Reserve Team, (B-team known to many as the Special Force) and Likuena head coach,” LeFA Secretary General said.
“In light of the above, all the matches played under the auspices of the Lesotho Football Association are hereby ordered to observe a moment of silence in respect of Mr. Maliehe starting this weekend.”
Maliehe came through the ranks coaching the Lesotho junior national teams and with his big breakthrough coming in 2015, when he was roped in as the Likuena caretaker coach to replace the now late, Seepheephe “Mochine” Matete.
He was handed the reins on full-time basis in 2016 after leading Likuena to the quarterfinals of the COSAFA Cup held in Namibia, where his team beat Angola, Mauritius, and Malawi to win their group.
It was under his tenure that Lesotho forward Jane Thabantšo scored the fastest goal in the history of the regional tournament having netted just 34 seconds into the game as Lesotho clinched a 3-0 victory over Mauritius.
He in that tournament handed several youngsters their first Likuena caps including Motebang Sera, who would go on to become Lesotho’s all-time leading goal-scorer in the history of the COSAFA Cup.
His team continued with their impressive run in the regional competition reaching the semi-finals in 2017 while in 2018 clinched bronze after beating Madagascar 1-0 courtesy of a Nkoto Masoabi’s solitary goal.
Born in Klerksdorp, South Africa to Basotho parents from Teyateyaneng in Berea, Maliehe kickstarted his football career playing for Klerksdorp City and ICL Birds, where he got to rub shoulders with the likes of Lucas Radebe and the late Phil Masinga.
Maliehe later moved to Lesotho, where he played for his home side, Lioli FC and later joined Matlama. He went back to South Africa donning the colours of Vaal Reefs Stars, where he was coached by former Bafana Bafana coach, Shakes Mashaba.
He was also the assistant coach to Leslie Notši as the Lesotho national under-20 qualified for the then African Youth Championship and later took over the role of head coach as Lesotho hosted the COSAFA Under-20 Championship in 2013.
At club level, Maliehe coached former clubs in Lioli and Matlama before taking the big assignment as the national team coach.
His Likuena side was the last to come close to qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations, but suffered a heartbreak on the final day of 2019 qualifiers getting a draw when they needed three points to secure a ticket to the continental showpiece that was held in Egypt.
Maliehe stint as Likuena coach was prematurely ended by an illness on the eve of the 2019 COSAFA Cup and the Lesotho Football Association tasked his assistant coach Mpitsa Marai to lead the team alongside James Madidilane as Lesotho reached the semi-finals for the third successive year.