Leemisa Thuseho
TOP assistant referee, Souru Phatšoane will tomorrow officiate during the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League clash between Petro de Luanda and Grupo Desportivo Sagrada Esperanca in Luanda, Angola.
The game will be Phatšoane’s second international assignment since returning from the 2022 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon last month.
His first assignment after the AFCON finals was the CAF Champions League match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Hilal of Sudan last month. The game was played in South Africa.
The Angolan assignment will see Phatšoane teaming up with the Zambian duo of Janny Sikazwe (central referee) and Thomas Kaela (second assistant referee). Joshua Bondo of Botswana will be the fourth official.
In Cameroon, Phatšoane made history along with South African duo, Victor Gomez and Zakhele Siwela, becoming the Southern African trio to officiate an AFCON final.
Meanwhile, Lesotho’s elite referees have been assigned for the 2023 AFCON preliminary round clash between eSwatini and Somalia at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on 27 March.
The team will be led by Retšelisitsoe Molise (central referee) while Lesupi Puputla and Siza Dlangamandla will be his assistants. Lebalang Moteke will be the fourth official while South Africa’s Thamsanqa Gay Mokoena will be the match commissioner.
Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) media officer, Mikia Kalati, said the assignments were the result of the association’s investment in referee training.
“The refereeing department is doing well,” Kalati said.
“The investment that we have made in both male and female referees is paying off.”
He said the increase in international assignments for locals was motivating for other younger referees.
“The more our referees do well, the more upcoming officials get inspired. It is also
our dream to have a Mosotho officiating at the World Cup. We are confident that very soon we will be represented at the World Cup, especially by Phatšoane because he is very close,” Kalati said.
