Match Report: Mozambique vs Lesotho
Lesotho’s senior women’s football team, Mehalalitoe, concluded their COSAFA Women’s Championship campaign on Tuesday with a 1-1 draw against Mozambique at Madibaz Stadium.
Despite a strong performance, Lesotho’s women’s team needed a sizable victory to advance to the semifinals, but a red card and adverse weather conditions worked against them, putting a premature end to their campaign.
The match saw Mehalalitoe fighting hard from the outset, and they took the lead in the 30th minute when Nthabeleng Potsane tapped in a cross from Phuzile Molefe. The early goal gave Mehalalitoe a temporary advantage and forced Mozambique onto the defensive.
However, the team’s momentum was hindered in the 39th minute when Moseme Khashane received a second yellow card, leaving Mehalalitoe down to ten players for the remainder of the match.
Despite the setback and challenging weather conditions, goalkeeper ‘Mamakhabane Makibinyane performed admirably, making crucial saves to keep her team in contention. However, Mozambique finally broke through with a late goal just minutes before the final whistle, ending Lesotho’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
Head coach Shalane Lehohla praised his team’s improved performance and stressed the need for mental resilience in future competitions. He emphasized the importance of strengthening Lesotho’s Women’s Super League to better prepare players for international tournaments.
“The game was bit better than the last game we were organised in defence, we were able to connect lot of passes today, and we were also able to exploit the spaces behind the defence of Mozambique and eventually got a goal,” he said
“Unfortunately, we got a red card, it made us lose balance because we were struggling to make passes, go behind their defence we ended up using route one we decided to change the way we were attacking,” he continued.
Mehalalitoe may have exited the COSAFA Championship, but their strong showing and hard-fought battles signal a bright future for women’s football in Lesotho.
Tlalane Phahla
