Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) has announced the appointment of Lehloenya Nkhasi as the new head coach for the Senior Women’s National team – Mehalalitoe Football Club (FC).
Nkhasi will be assisted by Moroesi Lazaro, taking over from the former Senior Women’s National team Mehalalitoe FC coach Lire Phiri, who had been in charge of the team since May 2019.
Nkhasi, in an exclusive interview with Informative Sport on Tuesday, showed that he is thankful with the opportunity he acquired and feels a lot of responsibility coming with his appointment.
He said opportunities like this are very rare and come once in a while. “I am very humbled and this indicates that I am moving ahead, I believe those who
honored me with this job saw a potential in me. I have been a head coach for Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) ladies and also coached Lilepe FC,” Nkhasi indicated
He further enlightened that the Senior women’s national team is ahead of the Council of Southern African Football Association (COSAFA) Women’s Championship games
and have already started the trainings since Friday, but the challenge is that players are a bit rusty due to the postponement of all sports games for about 3- 4 months
since the emergence of coronavirus pandemic. He said some of the players in the team have lasted more than 10 months without entering the playgrounds.
“This is very challenging but we are focused and dedicated to the task of shaping them to participate in the COSAFA games.
This is the new beginning for the Senior Women’s National team and everyone one wants to be part of the games so the spirit is very high and the aim is to improve
more from where the team was before,” he stated. Nkhasi also revealed that as a coach in women’s football, he won Women’s Super League three times in a row, won Women Super league Top 4 twice in a row.
He has also won coach of the season on two occasions, in 2017 and 2020. “I have also won three International tournaments, two in 2018 and one in February 2020.
According to LeFA, COSAFA Women’s Championship under 17 girls is to be staged in South Africa (SA) Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium from 3-14 November 2020 and
the Lesotho women’s Senior National Team provisional squad stands as follows; Goalkeepers: Thuto Maifo (Motheo Ladies), Boitumelo Nkeane (Grasslands Ladies), Sebolelo Mweza (LDF Ladies).
Defenders: Nkotso Mapota (Wits University), Mosili Motšoeneng (Bloemfontein Celtic), Phesolo Mafusi, Mamoruti Ntsiki, Ntsatsi Khakanyo, Tšoanelo Leboka, Lerato
Kheme (all LDF). Midfielders: Mosel Pita (LDF), Boitumelo Rabele (Lewis and Clark Community College, United States of America USA) Matšeliso Ntšasa (LDF), Mabulara Mosoeu (LDF), Lerato Toloane
(Nigol Ladies), Ntšabeng Pelea (LDF), Palesa Mpeta (LDF), Maseriti Mohlolo
(LDF), Bokang Matabane (LDF), Lerato Mphou (LDF), Molemo Mokhothu (Kick4Life).
Strikers: Litšeoane Maloro (Bloemfontein Celtic), Nteboheleng Mohoshela (Kick4Life), Nthabeleng Potsane (LDF), Kholu Lebakeng (LDF), Matšeliso Makutoane
(Basetsana), Senate Letsie (Lewis and Clark Community College, USA), Phuzile
Molefe (LDF), Puseletso Jobo (Rovers Ladies). In accordance with the statement issued by LeFA Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mikia Kalati on the 20th October 2020, Lesotho has been in regular
competitions at the COSAFA Women’s Championships since the first tournament played in 2002, though they did not take part in 2019. It indicated that they
did not get off to the best of starts with a 15-0 defeat in their opener to hosts Zimbabwe, but performances have steadily improved since then, and they
were close to semifinal qualification in 2011 when they beat Mozambique 3-2 but lost to Malawi in their play-off decider. In 2017 they claimed a fine 2-1 win over Namibia in a pool play, but lost to SA
and Botswana, both by 3-0 score lines. They returned in 2018, but lost all three matches, going down to Zambia (2-0), Mozambique (2-1) and Central African
guest nation Cameroon (6-0) to finish bottom of their pool. The national team is currently positioned at number 137 in the Federation International Football
Association (FIFA) Women’s World Rankings. They played their first international game in 1998 away in Mozambique and lost 3-0, and are yet to qualify for the African Women’s Championship.
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