Africa-Press – Lesotho. Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Ladies head coach, Lengana Nkhethoa, says his club made some significant improvements at this year’s CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA Qualifiers which concluded in Durban, South Africa, last weekend.
LDF finished third in their four-team group which was an improvement on their debut performance at the regional championship in 2021 when they finished bottom of their pool. Nkhethoa said LDF were much more competitive this year and playing more international friendly matches will help the team improve further.
LDF, who won last season’s Women Super League (WSL) undefeated, finished Group A with one point from three games which was gained in LDF’s opening game against Malawi’s Ntopwa FC thanks to ‘Maseriti Mohlolo’s late equaliser.
It was a match in which LDF enjoyed good possession and created chances to score, but their inability to find the net let them down. LDF next faced Double Action Ladies from Botswana and lost 1-0.
Their last group game was against Zambia’s Green Buffaloes and LDF were knocked out of the competition after a 2-1 defeat. In the end, LDF only failed to score in one game and Nkhethoa said creating chances is the main positive they can take away from the competition.
He said now it is time for LDF to work on their finishing. “I am very happy with our performance given the standard of our league. We also had major injuries to key players, Phuzile (Molefe), (Mosele) Pita, (Thato) Mapepesa who played with injuries while some didn’t play at all,” Nkhethoa said.
“I think any team in the Super League that will have an opportunity to go to this tournament, not just us, should start preparing now by playing a lot of international friendly matches, they need them,” he added.
Many have said LDF were unlucky not to score and maybe win some of their games at CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA Qualifiers. The Lesotho champions were not outplayed and the results could have easily gone their way if they took advantage of their chances.
Nkhethoa attributed his side’s poor finishing to a lack of confidence. “In football we like to say we don’t have luck but it’s about the player’s confidence.
That moment when they have to make the decision, they need to be confident in front of goals,” Nkhethoa said. LDF had wanted to progress from the group and into the semi-finals.
Nkhethoa said while the players were disappointed not to achieve the goals they had set for themselves prior to the competition, they were encouraged by their much improved performance this year. With the new WSL season ahead, Nkhethoa and LDF will now turn their attention to defending their title which they have won for the past four seasons.
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