Moorosi Tsiane
THE national under-17 football side made an early exit from the ongoing COSAFA Cup after been dismissed 4-1 by Mozambique on Tuesday in Blantyre.
The tournament started on 10 October 2019 and ends on Sunday.
The Tuesday outing was the side’s third consecutive Group B loss for the team following its 1-0 and 3-1 losses to Comoros and Angola on 11 and 13 October respectively.
The Halemakale Mahlaha coached outfit exited the tournament without a single point. Bahlabani conceded eight goals and scored just two.
Mozambique’s goals came from Simon Cipriano while Mqolisi Mothae scored Lesotho’s consolation goal.
This is the second successive year for Mahlaha’s side to fail to advance to the knock out stage of the tournament.
In post-match interview Mahlaha said he was disappointed with the early exit but said they would go back to the drawing board and come back a better side next year.
“We are out of the tournament and I think what is left now is to go back home and try to look at our weaknesses and try to improve while also looking at our strengths to build on them,” Mahlaha said.
“We have to go and prepare better so that next year we come back a better team.”
Mahlaha said they have gained experience which he believes will be handy as Lesotho hosts the Africa Union Sport Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games next year.
“We are hosting the AUSC Games next year and I want to believe that with the experience that we gathered here, we will have a very strong team next year. We must go back and work hard. At least our squad is made up of young players who still have a few years,” Mahlaha said
