Lesotho Women’s national team Mehalalitoe,in white jersey will today head to Swaziland ahead of two friendly matches set for Saturday
Mikia Kalati
LESOTHO’S national women’s football team, Mehalalitoe, will play a friendly against their South African counterparts, Banyana Banyana, as part of their preparations for the COSAFA Women Championships in Zimbabwe from 13 to 24 September this year.
Mehalalitoe coach, Puseletso Mokhosi, this week told the Lesotho Times that the team only got a few days off this week after a long training programme that continued after their two friendlies against Swaziland in June.
“We have made arrangements to play Banyana Banyana and we hope that they bring their first team to give us a strong test so that we can assess where we are as a team,” Mokhosi said.
Mokhosi also said women’s football had grown in the country in leaps and bounds over the past three years because of the competitive local league.
“Having the Super League has helped us as our players are now more competitive compared to previous years.
“I believe that we will go to the COSAFA Cup and compete better.
“We still have challenges here and there but things have improved significantly now that we have a league,” she said adding, she was confident the players would do their best to make the country proud.
Mokhosi also said Bloemfontein Celtic ladies star, Boitumelo Rabale, was included in the team but it was highly unlikely that Senate Letsie who recently left for the United States of America would be available as calling her up “might inconvenience her studies”.
Mehalalitoe will only know their opponents after the draw on 25 August.
The championships will feature 11 regional teams with Kenya coming in as the guest nation.
The tournament was last held in 2001 in Zimbabwe with the home country edging South Africa 1-0 to win the trophy for the first time.
The South Africans have won it four times, making them the most successful national team in the region.
