Mikia Kalati
SIX Premier League teams have received a major boost ahead of the new season after Metropolitan Lesotho presented them with a technical sponsorship package worth M60 000.
The six teams which will benefit from the assistance are Likhopo, Majantja, Liphakoe, Sefothafotha, Swallows and Galaxy.
Likhopo were the first of the six teams to receive their new kit which includes home and away jerseys, tracksuits and training equipment yesterday.
According to a statement from the Premier League Management Committee (PLMC), the initiative is part of Metropolitan Lesotho’s corporate social initiatives vision to improve the standards of the game in the country.
“To you Premier League Clubs, the football fraternity and the corporate world at large, today we are witnessing the fruits of a long-term relationship between the Premier League clubs and Metropolitan under the backing of the Premier League Management Committee,” the statement said.
“This is an idea that Metropolitan Lesotho envisioned some years back when they committed, as a corporate entity, to the development of football in Lesotho.”
The statement said they selected teams which usually fail to get the chance to play in the Independence Top4 tournament that is sponsored by the Metropolitan Lesotho and Standard Bank.
“In recent years, Metropolitan Lesotho has witnessed that the topmost clubs that usually compete in the Top 4 competitions have been Lioli, Bantu and Matlama while the majority do not feature in the tournament.
“Metropolitan Lesotho noted that the teams which are usually competing in the Top 4 competition have technical kit sponsors annually while the majority do not any.
“It is against this background that six teams which do not have such sponsorship namely; Likhopo, Liphakoe, Swallows, Sefothafotha and Galaxy were identified.
“We as the PLMC are so appreciative of Metropolitan Lesotho for the support and interest in the development of football in Lesotho particularly in the teams under the administration of the PLMC,” the statement said.
Likhopo coach Halemakale Mahlaha hailed the sponsorship and said his club will begin the new campaign in high spirits ahead of their opener against Liphakoe on Sunday.
“It is a massive boost to us as a club and I think it will g motivate the team ahead of the new season.
“The players will go into the season looking good as you can see we have a young team but the morale is high because of the sponsorship that we have received from Metropolitan,” Mahlaha said
