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Luciah Phahla

MASERU

Three Lioli players – Nkoto Masoabi, Liteboho Mokhehle and Tšepo Lekhooana – are undergoing trials at two unnamed National First Division (NFD) clubs in South Africa.

The development was confirmed by ‘Tse Nala’ communications and marketing manager Tšeliso Lerata yesterday.

Lerata said Masoabi left the country on Monday while Mokhehle and Lekhooana left last week.

Masoabi, along with teammate Lekhanya Lekhanya, had been linked with a move to Vodacom Premier League side Kick4Life in recent weeks.

Lerata said the three trialists left with Lioli’s blessings and are expected back in the country as soon as their try-outs are over.

“Liteboho Mokhehle, Masoabi Nkoto and Tšepo Lekhooana are all on trial in South Africa. Two are at the same club while the other is at another team. I am not at liberty to disclose the names of the teams but they are national first division teams,” Lerata told thepost.

“It is our responsibility and we are determined to make sure that our players are well taken care of,” he added. “We don’t want our players to use football as recreation but as a profession. We want them to earn a living out of football.”

The trio are undergoing their trials after enjoying contrasting 2015/16 campaigns for the champions.

Shot stopper Mokhehle shared goalkeeping duties with Kananelo Makhooane and ended the season as part of Lesotho’s COSAFA Castle Cup squad in Namibia while striker Masoabi finished as Lioli’s top league scorer with seven goals.

Lekhooana, on the other hand, only returned to full action in the second half of the campaign after suffering a serious injury in early 2015.

Lerata said Lioli are delighted to have three players on trial out of the country.

“We are proud to have three players on trials out of the country. This is a (first) step in a journey of a thousand miles; it shows our players are growing. We wish them all the best,” he said.

“If they impress during their trials we will not stand in their way. The club that is interested will enter into negotiations. We want our players to grow.”

Lerata underlined that Masoabi, Mokhehle and Lekhooana will be welcomed back and would join their teammates in preparations for the 2016/17 season if their efforts in South Africa are unsuccessful.

“They are still our players,” he said. “They are welcome to come back to the club even if they don’t get contracts where they are now. We allowed them to go and we will welcome them back.”

Lerata also confirmed that no players have left the Teyateyaneng giants. He said Lioli are focused on getting ready for next weekend’s Alliance Winter Challenge pre-season showpiece.

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Moment of truth for Matlama

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It’s crunch time in the Vodacom Premier League this weekend as the top teams collide and by Sunday evening there could be serious implications on the title race.
The game of the weekend is on Sunday when second placed Matlama will face third-placed Bantu at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena. Earlier in the day, league leaders Lioli battle it out with Linare who are fourth.

Linare’s chances of winning the league are now over, but they would love nothing more than to dash their neighbours’ title hopes just as they dented Matlama’s plans with a goalless draw on Sunday in Maputsoe.

It is a draw that Matlama head coach Halemakale Mahlaha admitted has complicated their title hopes but he insisted the championship is still within their reach. ‘Tse Putsoa’, with 58 points from 26 games, are two points behind leaders Lioli with four games to go.

Mahlaha remains confident because Matlama are yet to play Lioli and the destiny of the title is still in his side’s hands.

Bantu, on the other hand, are four points behind Lioli and will need favours from others to defend their title.

It has certainly not been smooth sailing for James Madidilane since returning to the club two months ago, and the dressing room has allegedly been rocked by infighting with some players unhappy with reported favouritism by the South African tactician.

Despite all the drama, ‘A Matšo Matebele’ would love to defend their title and claim their third championship in the past four seasons.

Beating Matlama is the first step because Bantu would leapfrog them into second position on the log with a victory.

If Bantu win, they will also complete a double over Matlama after their 2-0 triumph in the first round and the Mafeteng giants would claim precious bragging rights over their Maseru rivals.

Speaking to thepost on Wednesday, Matlama coach Mahlaha said he is expecting a tough game between Lesotho’s dominant clubs for almost a decade.

Matlama (with two titles) and Bantu (four titles) are the only teams to have won the premiership since 2017 and Mahlaha said Sunday’s match will be another mammoth clash between the sides as both juggernauts again vie to be crowned kings of Lesotho.

“There is a possibility these two teams could win the league and they are right behind one another and that’s what makes it tough,” Mahlaha said.

“The weekend’s results have impacted us, it has increased pressure to win this game,” he added.

Mahlaha admitted playing after Lioli also adds pressure because if Lioli win on Saturday, it means Matlama have to win at all costs to keep the gap at two points.

“Of course it does (put pressure), but we will work hard and focus on Sunday,” Mahlaha said.

“It is great though because we still have to play Lioli, so we will see. We like having tough games because this is how we test our players.”

Weekend Fixtures:
Saturday
CCX vs. LMPS (LAC)
LDF vs. Naughty Boys (Ratjomose)
Liphakoe vs. Machokha (LCS Ground)
Lioli vs. Linare (TY)
Sunday
LCS vs. Lifofane (LCS Ground)
LU FC vs. Lijabatho (Ratjomose, 14:00)
Matlama vs. Bantu (Bambatha)

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Machokha coach fumes

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Machokha coach Tšepo Mokhele says match officials are destroying football in Lesotho.
A fuming Mokhele said poor officiating cost his side in Sunday’s 1-0 loss to title-chasing Matlama after a second half penalty secured the result at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena.

The final score had weighty implications on the Vodacom Premier League as it allowed Matlama to remain three points behind Lioli with a game in hand, while on the other hand, the defeat means Machokha are still in danger of being relegated.

Mokhele said Matlama did not deserve to win and were gifted the three points by the referees. Machokha had two loud penalty appeals turned down in the first half before ‘Tse Putsoa’ won the game from the spot in the second stanza.

Mokhele said the defeat leaves his side in a precarious position as they battle to survive in the top-flight with five games to go.

Machokha are in 12th place with 22 points, five points above the relegation zone, and gaining a point against ‘Tse Putsoa’ would have given them a safer cushion in their battle to survive.

Mokhele said the Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) must do something about the officiating in the country because, if things continue as they are, it will destroy football.

“Officials are not only degrading our football, but they are also degrading our players,” Mokhele fumed. “People are paying to come here and watch a very beautiful game yet referees come and make us lose because we cannot fight them, which is very sad,” he added.

Mokhele insisted the result could have gone the other way if Machokha’s “clear” penalty appeals had been awarded.

“We could have won the game but the referees rejected our two clear penalties and I don’t know what Matlama’s penalty was given for, because that was not a penalty,” he said.

Mokhele said a similar thing happened when the sides’ met in the first round when Matlama scraped a 2-1 win.

“We scored first (in the first round match) before Matlama equalized. After Matlama scored the second goal, the game was over and that did not sit well with me,” he said.

Mokhele said what pains him most is that Machokha have a few matches to play in the Vodacom Premiership season and referees are gambling with their future as they did on Sunday.

Mokhele said the favouritism from referees does no favours for Lesotho’s big teams when they enter continental competitions.

“This is why you see people win the league in the country because they are used to being put on top of other people, but when they find fair refereeing (in CAF competitions) and they have to toughen up at the international level, we are always out. It is because of things like this,” he said.

“Let us compete,” Mokhele continued.

“Respect the crowd, the players, (LEFA) presidency and the people who are pouring money into football. Money is being spent each and every day only for our referees to do something like this. We did not deserve to lose that game,” Machokha coach insisted.

Matlama coach Halemakale Mahlaha declined to comment on the awarding of his side’s winning penalty but said his side’s struggles on the day showed that his players were not playing according to the game-plan.

“Our performance might be because of the internal things that happened a day before the game. Maybe the players were mentally distracted by the (9-1 win over) Naughty Boys (in the previous week),” Mahlaha said.

“Winning by that huge margin might have distracted the players but what was important was that we collected three points (against Machokha)”.

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Moment of truth for Matlama

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It’s crunch time in the Vodacom Premier League this weekend as the top teams collide and by Sunday evening there could be serious implications on the title race.

The game of the weekend is on Sunday when second placed Matlama will face third-placed Bantu at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena. Earlier in the day, league leaders Lioli battle it out with Linare who are fourth.

 

Linare’s chances of winning the league are now over, but they would love nothing more than to dash their neighbours’ title hopes just as they dented Matlama’s plans with a goalless draw on Sunday in Maputsoe.

It is a draw that Matlama head coach Halemakale Mahlaha admitted has complicated their title hopes but he insisted the championship is still within their reach. ‘Tse Putsoa’, with 58 points from 26 games, are two points behind leaders Lioli with four games to go.

Mahlaha remains confident because Matlama are yet to play Lioli and the destiny of the title is still in his side’s hands.

Bantu, on the other hand, are four points behind Lioli and will need favours from others to defend their title.

It has certainly not been smooth sailing for James Madidilane since returning to the club two months ago, and the dressing room has allegedly been rocked by infighting with some players unhappy with reported favouritism by the South African tactician.

Despite all the drama, ‘A Matšo Matebele’ would love to defend their title and claim their third championship in the past four seasons.

Beating Matlama is the first step because Bantu would leapfrog them into second position on the log with a victory.

If Bantu win, they will also complete a double over Matlama after their 2-0 triumph in the first round and the Mafeteng giants would claim precious bragging rights over their Maseru rivals.

Speaking to thepost on Wednesday, Matlama coach Mahlaha said he is expecting a tough game between Lesotho’s dominant clubs for almost a decade.

Matlama (with two titles) and Bantu (four titles) are the only teams to have won the premiership since 2017 and Mahlaha said Sunday’s match will be another mammoth clash between the sides as both juggernauts again vie to be crowned kings of Lesotho.

“There is a possibility these two teams could win the league and they are right behind one another and that’s what makes it tough,” Mahlaha said.

“The weekend’s results have impacted us, it has increased pressure to win this game,” he added.

Mahlaha admitted playing after Lioli also adds pressure because if Lioli win on Saturday, it means Matlama have to win at all costs to keep the gap at two points.

“Of course it does (put pressure), but we will work hard and focus on Sunday,” Mahlaha said.

“It is great though because we still have to play Lioli, so we will see. We like having tough games because this is how we test our players.”

Weekend Fixtures:
Saturday
CCX vs. LMPS (LAC)
LDF vs. Naughty Boys (Ratjomose)
Liphakoe vs. Machokha (LCS Ground)
Lioli vs. Linare (TY)
Sunday
LCS vs. Lifofane (LCS Ground)
LU FC vs. Lijabatho (Ratjomose, 14:00)
Matlama vs. Bantu (Bambatha)

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