Mehalalitoe fall to Zimbabwe in COSAFA Championship group opener
MASERU – The Lesotho nationwide girls’s crew, Mehalalitoe, will embark on a brand new chapter beneath coach Shalane Lehohla after they contest the 2024 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Championship in Gqeberha, South Africa, this week.
Lehohla has overhauled the squad with 10 new faces known as up and Mehalalitoe are decided to show a recent web page and produce a powerful efficiency on the regional showpiece, which began on Tuesday and climaxes subsequent Saturday.
The match will probably be Lesotho’s first because the loss of life of former coach Pule Khojane in January.
Khojane had been on the helm of Mehalalitoe for 2 years and performed a pivotal function within the crew’s improvement. His loss of life because of sickness was an enormous blow and left the crew in a state of transition.
Lehohla has stepped in to steer the crew and is hoping to construct on the inspiration that Khojane constructed whereas implementing his personal imaginative and prescient for achievement.
His method will probably be examined straight away with Lesotho up towards Zimbabwe and Mozambique in Group D and just one aspect assured progress to the semi-final.
Lehohla mentioned he believes within the skills of his new-look squad and is assured they will combat for optimistic outcomes.
Mehalalitoe defender, Thato Mapepesa, echoed Lehohla’s confidence and highlighted the crew’s readiness for the competitors.
Speaking to journalists on the eve of the match, Mapepesa emphasised that Mehalalitoe discovered useful classes from their latest pleasant matches, which helped them establish their strengths and weaknesses.
“We are not going to limit ourselves, we have set our priorities,” mentioned Mapepesa. “(The friendly matches) helped a lot in terms of exposure. We learned a lot about our weaknesses and strengths. When we get to the COSAFA (Women’s Championship) we are going to apply what we learnt from the friendly matches.”
Lehohla’s modifications to Mehalalitoe embrace omitting Mpolokeng Mothomotšoana, Molemo Mokhothu and Mosele Pita however the crew has been boosted by the arrival of Royal AM duo, Mosili Motšoeneng and Litšeoane Maloro.
The pair deliver a wealth of useful expertise and energy from taking part in in South Africa’s top-flight semi-professional league.
Mapepesa believes Motšoeneng and Maloro’s addition has bolstered the squad and Mehalalitoe are able to put their newfound data to the check within the COSAFA Women’s Championship.
Mapepesa additionally famous the emotional influence of Khojane’s loss of life on the crew, particularly for youthful gamers like herself who appeared as much as him.
She mentioned the crew is motivated to do nicely in Khojane’s reminiscence as he would have needed them to succeed.
For his half, coach Lehohla acknowledged that the match will probably be a troublesome check however he remained centered on the last word objective of successful.
He emphasised that whereas the crew has had time to arrange, they needed to steadiness their coaching between bodily and psychological readiness.
Lehohla pressured that there is no such thing as a must put himself beneath strain as a result of that may switch onto the gamers. Lehohla is hoping his gamers can undertake a extra skilled mind-set and method the sport with a successful mentality.
“It looks like we had a long time but given where they were when we started, we were forced to mix,” Lehohla mentioned.
“When we were working on the body we were also working work on the mentality. When we were working on mentality, we were also playing football. So there was no specific area we focused on,” Lehohla mentioned.
Mehalalitoe is ready to face robust competitors in Group D, together with a rematch towards Zimbabwe, who beat them 1-0 in final 12 months’s match.
Mehalalitoe, nevertheless, are optimistic and centered on making an influence.
For many within the squad, this is a chance to honour their former coach’s legacy by bringing house victory.
Mehalalitoe squad:
Goalkeepers
Thuto Maifo, ‘Mamakhabane Makibinyane, Reitumetse Tuoane
Defenders
Moseme Khashane, Ntaoleng Theletsi, Thato Mapepesa, Itumeleng ‘Molotsi, Mosili Motšoeneng, Nteboheleng Ramotsoku, Bokang Ntsane, Ntsatsi Khakanyo, Tebello Lekote
Midfielders
Boitumelo Rabale, Lerato Tsoinyane, Tsoanelo Leboka, Matšeliso Ntšasa, Nthabeleng Potsane, Nthabeleng Makhabane, ‘Maseriti Mohlolo, Moleboheng Moloi
Strikers
Reitumetse Namane, Phuzile Molefe, Litšeoane Maloro
Tlalane Phahla
