Lesotho advances to face South Africa in Women’s AFCON qualifiers

Lesotho beat Swaziland 3-1 on aggregate to progress to the
final round of #AWCON2018 qualifiers...

Lesotho will face South Africa for a place at the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON 2018) after beating Swaziland 3-1 on aggregate in the first round of qualifying this afternoon in Mbabane.

Mehalalitoe were leading 1-0 from the first leg last Friday at Setsoto Stadium and sealed their progress to the second and final round of qualifying with a 2-1 win in the return leg in Swaziland.

Lesotho’s goals were scored by defender Lerato Kheme and midfielder Palesa Mpeta and the side’s reward is a date against 2017 COSAFA Women’s Championship winners South Africa in June.

Mehalalitoe will host the first leg and the winner of the tie will be one of the eight nations at the 2018 AWCON in Ghana in November and December.

Both legs will be played between June 4 and 12.

Holding a slender lead from the first leg, Lesotho coach Monaheng Montšo went for a attacking approach in today’s return in Swaziland with United States based striker Senate Letsie and Women’s Super League golden boot winner Kholu Lebakeng of LDF Ladies joining last Friday’s goal hero Litšeoana Maloro upfront.

The positive attitude paid off as Lesotho took a decisive 1-0 lead through Kheme after 30 minutes. Mehalalitoe then doubled their shortly after the break and although Swaziland scored late on, it wasn’t enough to spoil Lesotho’s party.

Montšo and his charges can now look forward to a high-profile tie against Banyana Banyana in two months’ time.

A total of 24 teams entered the qualifiers for the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, one more than the number which contested the last qualifiers in 2016.

South Africa was one of four nations handed a first round bye this year alongside holders Nigeria, fellow 2016 finalists Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

The seven winners of the second round qualifying ties will join hosts Ghana in the final tournament set for November 17 to December 1.

Lesotho starting line-up v Swaziland:

Thuto Maifo – Mosili Motsoeneng, Lerato Kheme, Macheche Matlamaela, Mamoroesi Likotsi – Boitumelo Rabale ©, Palesa Mpeta, Tšoanelo Leboka – Senate Letsie, Kholu Lebakeng, Litšeoana Maloro

AWCON 2018 Qualifying:

Second Round:

Lesotho v South Africa

Congo v Cameroon

Kenya v Equatorial Guinea

Zambia v Zimbabwe

Senegal/Algeria v Libya/Ethiopia

Morocco/Ivory Coast v Mali

Burkina Faso/Gambia v Nigeria

Dates:

First leg and second leg: June 4-12

Winners qualify for 2018 AWCON alongside hosts Ghana

Lesotho goes for tried and tested for Swaziland Women’s AFCON clash

Mehalalitoe begin their 2018 Women's AFCON journey against Swaziland

Lesotho national women’s team coach Monaheng Montšo has gone with his tried and tested combinations for this evening’s 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations (AFCON) first leg qualifier against Swaziland at Setsoto Stadium.

The match will kick off at 18:00 and entrance will be free. The second leg of the first round tie will take place next Tuesday.

Montšo has chosen his strongest possible starting line-up from Lesotho’s original training squad of 30 players although he has decided to leave out United States based striker Senate Letsie.

Letsie only joined the team’s camp earlier this week and will start the game from the bench meaning Kick4Life striker Litšeoane Maloro will spearhead Mehalalitoe’s attack.

Lesotho will once again be led by Bloemfontein Celtic captain and Mehalalitoe lynchpin, Boitumelo Rabale. Alongside Rabale in midfield is Ntšabeng Pelea of Lesotho champions LDF Ladies. Pelea was named 2017 player of the season at the Women’s Super League awards last month and her 11 goals were crucial to LDF Ladies’ title win.

Pelea’s club-mate Thuto Maifo, the Women’s Super League goalkeeper of the season, will start in goals for Lesotho.

As part of their preparations for the Swaziland tie, Mehalalitoe travelled to South Africa play friendly games against SA Sasol Women’s League champions Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies two weeks ago.

Although Lesotho lost both matches, Montšo said there were positives to take from the outings.

“The team learned a lot from the games, this is the first time many of players are playing in the national team,” he said.

If Mehalalitoe advance past Swaziland they will take on South Africa in the next round.

The 2018 Women’s AFCON will be the 13th edition of the biennial championship and will be hosted by Ghana from November 17 to December 1.

The tournament will also double as Africa’s qualifiers for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France with the top three teams earning tickets to represent the continent.

Mehalalitoe squad to face Swaziland:

Starting line-up:

1. Thuto Maifo

2. Tšoanelo Leboka

3. Mating Monokoane

4. Ntšabeng Pelea

5. Phuzile Molefe

6. Boitumelo Rabale

7. Mosili Motšoeneng

8. Litšeoane Maloro

9. Lerato Kheme

10. Mosele Pita

11. Mosilinyane Lefaphane

Substitutes:

12. Palesa Mpeta

13. 'Mafusi Phesolo

14. Macheche Matlamela

15. Lerato Sello

16. Relebohile Akhente

17. 'Mamoroesi Likotsi

18. Senate Letsie

Head coach:

Monaheng Montšo

Assistant coach:

Elizabeth Yelima

Goalkeeper coach:

Lekunutu Tšoeunyane

Lesotho women’s team to tour South Africa ahead of AFCON qualifiers

Lesotho will face Swaziland to open their 2018 Women's AFCON qualifiers

Lesotho’s national women’s football team will play a trio of friendly games against South African clubs over the next two weeks to prepare for their 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Swaziland in April.

Mehalalitoe will host Swaziland in the first leg of the first round tie on April 6 with the return leg on April 10.

To prepare, Monaheng Montšo’s side will embark on a series of friendly games against three sides in South Africa’s top-flight – the Sasol Women’s League.

The first of the games is on Saturday against South African champions Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies who, incidentally, are captained by Lesotho skipper Boitumelo Rabale.

After facing Celtic, Mehalalitoe will then take on the Free State Police women’s team in Ficksburg next Wednesday before concluding their tour against Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies in Pretoria next Saturday.

“We will use the three friendlies to assess our standards of play and see where we can correct before the AFCON qualifiers against Swaziland,” Lesotho team manager Thabaneng Lekhooa said.

“Immediately after the last game (against Sundowns) the team will start with its final camp,” he added.

Rabale, who was named Lesotho’s first-ever Sports Star of the Year at last year’s inaugural Lesotho Annual Sports Awards, will again lead Mehalalitoe and be the team’s key player.

Also in the squad is United States based striker Senate Letsie.

However, the former Kick4Life Ladies star will only join the squad after the trip to South Africa.

Taking part in the 2018 Women’s AFCON qualifiers is another positive step for women’s football in Lesotho which has grown since the inauguration of a national women’s league – the Women’s Super League – three years ago.

If Mehalalitoe manage to navigate their way past Swaziland they will face neighbours South Africa in the next round.

The 2018 Total Women Africa Cup of Nations will be the 13th edition of the biennial championship and will be hosted by Ghana from November 17 to December 1.

The Women’s AFCON will also double as Africa’s qualifiers for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup with the top three teams qualifying for the global showpiece to be held in France.

Mehalalitoe squad:

Goalkeepers: Mosilinyane Lefaphane, Thuto Maifo, Boitumelo Nkeane

Defenders: Mosili Motšoeneng, Rethabile Ntobo, Lerato Kheme, Nkotso Mapota, ‘Macheche Matjamela, Liako Makotoane, Lerato Rasello, Yedwa Monyane, ‘Mamoroesi Likotsi, ‘Mapheko Motlalane

Midfielders: Boitumelo Rabale, Palesa Mpeta, Ntšabeng Pelea, Kefuoe Makoa, ‘Mafusi Phesolo, Makobo Kepa, Mating Monokoane, ‘Maseriti Mohlolo, Tebello Makuru, Mosele Pita and Tšoanelo Leboka

Strikers: Senate Letsie, Nthabiseng Pule, Relebohile Akhente, Lits’eoana Maloro, Kholu Lebakeng, Mateliso Makutoane