Luciah Phahla

Maseru

Lesotho is still on a high after the COSAFA Castle Cup where Likuena reached the quarterfinals.
One of the team’s stars was goalkeeper Daniel Jousse who expertly marshalled Likuena’s defence and conceded just once in 360 minutes of action.
The man behind some of that success is Matsoai Shokhoe, Lesotho’s goalkeeper coach since 2014.
Shokhoe’s stint in mentoring the country’s best keepers is the next chapter for the 33-year-old Mazenod native who featured for Matlama from 2005 until 2013, a productive decade that included a league title in 2010.
During his conversation with thepost Shokhoe is relentlessly enthusiastic about the state of keepers in Lesotho.
It is clear he is a student of the craft and it is this passion that led Shokhoe to pursue a career in coaching after he decided to hang his gloves. And, although it is at times difficult for footballers to transition after retirement, Shokhoe got his break quickly when he was appointed Matlama goalkeeper coach in June 2014.
The early results are solid.
Under his mentorship ‘Tse Putsoa’ boast several promising goalkeepers on their books headed by current first choice Makhetha Thakeli and backup Kabelo Lichaba who is 22.
Shokhoe has high hopes for the 28-year-old Thakeli.
“After I retired I decided to become a goalkeeper coach because I wanted to pass the knowledge I have to other goalkeepers out there,” he explains. “I have been with Matlama for a very long time, from 2005 until 2013 when I retired and started pursuing a coaching job in 2014.”
On Makhetha, Shokhoe continues: “He lacks some attributes but they are things we can work on in terms of handling the ball and dealing with crosses. But, he has potential to become a good goalkeeper.”
Shokhoe’s work at Pitso Ground runs concurrently with duties with the national team. He was appointed Lesotho’s keeper trainer in late 2014 by previous coach Seephephe Matete. And, despite Matete being replaced last November, Shokhoe has kept his job under new caretaker boss Moses Maliehe.
It is a job that comes with different challenges, he says.
“It’s challenging working with different goalkeepers from different clubs at the national teams because sometimes you find that there are no goalkeeper coaches where they come from.”
However, it is also exciting.
Shokhoe sees a boom of young, talented goalkeepers in Lesotho and among them he rates Lesotho Correctional Service keeper Jousse as the best shot stopper in the country.
Jousse played four matches at the COSAFA Castle Cup in Namibia and only conceded his first goal in the 65th minute of Lesotho’s quarterfinal against South Africa after keeping three clean-sheets in the group stage.
Shokhoe says Jousse’s reflexes and positioning were central to his brilliant performances at the tournament.
“For me I would say Daniel Jousse is the best. He has the attributes of a good goalkeeper; he can organise his defence, deal with crosses and knows how to position himself which I think really helped him in Namibia and allowed him to perform the way he did, although I still have to credit the defence for a good job,” he says.
Shokhoe is visibly proud of Jousse’s display.
“I always want the goalkeeper I am coaching to win the best goalkeeper award,” he states. “Even when I went to Namibia I wanted my goalkeeper to be named the best goalkeeper of the tournament. At Matlama it is still the same, I wanted Makhetha to be the best last season.”
The challenge now is to build on the high standards set in Namibia and one aspect Lesotho’s keepers have to overcome is a lack of height.
It was, for instance, one of the reasons Jousse was replaced by Liteboho Mokhehle just before Lesotho’s penalty shootout loss to South Africa.
“I advised the coach to take out Jousse before the penalties,” Shokhoe reveals. “Liteboho has height that I thought could work for us in the penalty shootout. But, of course, penalties do go with a little bit of luck.”
“Height is the most important thing in a goalkeeper,” he adds. “If you are short that puts you at a disadvantage because the opponents will not respect you at all. But, if you have the height, that will work for you when it comes to crosses and long balls.”
Being able to organise the defence, deal with crosses and distribute the ball decisively are other attributes Shokhoe looks for in a goalkeeper.
But, “while all these attributes are important in a goalkeeper, determination and love for the game is still the most important thing,” Shokhoe insists.
“A goalkeeper may not have many attributes that make a complete goalkeeper but still go on to be one of the best because of determination.”
Shokhoe says Kick4Life’s Sele Thetsane and Lioli’s Kananelo Makhooane are goalkeepers showing the potential to break into the national team. Thetsane, for example, was named Kick4Life’s player of the season last month and is regarded as one of the most improved players in the league.
“I think now Sele Thetsane and Kananelo Makhooane are coming to that level of Jousse and Liteboho, they have potential to become great goalkeepers, even for the country,” Shokhoe says.
The Matlama and Likuena trainer also uses examples from international football as references in his work and he rates Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon and Germany’s Manuel Neuer as the best in the game.
When it comes to ball distribution, Kaizer Chiefs and South Africa international Itumeleng Khune is the master, Shokhoe says.
“For me, in South Africa, perhaps in all Africa, Itumeleng Khune is still the best. His ball distribution is out of this world. If you look internationally, Italian goalkeeper Buffon is a complete goalkeeper. Together with Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, those are the best goalkeepers for me. They are complete,” he says.
Shokhoe also points to Buffon’s 38 years of age as an indication that goalkeepers, like wine, get better with time. Today, keepers can play until 40; the more a goalkeeper grows, the more he matures, Shokhoe believes, which is why he is preaching patience when it comes to Lesotho’s upcoming generation of stoppers.
“Believe me, the older the goalkeeper gets, the more important he becomes, because when he is old now he plays with his mind and everything he has learned,” he says.
“What is good with goalkeepers is that they can play until they are 40 or something, unlike an on-field player. Look at Buffon, he is 38 or 39 years and he is the best.”
Going forward Shokhoe says his assignment is to scout more talented goalkeepers throughout Lesotho and to produce the best quality for Matlama and Likuena.
“I am grateful for this task and I want to give everyone from different parts of the country a chance.”

Sports

Ramakongoana off to World Athletics Championships

Published

6 days ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

Lesotho Olympian Tebello Ramakongoana has booked a ticket to the 2025 World Athletics Championships after finishing second at the C&D Xiamen Marathon in China on Sunday.

Ramakongoana ran a brilliant race at the global event, and he finished in a Lesotho record time of 2:06:18 hours, just 12 seconds shy of first place.

Ethiopian Dawit Wolde secured title ahead of Ramakongoana in a time of 2:06:06.

Ramakongoana’s time has earned him automatic qualification to the World Championships set to be held in Tokyo in September this year and his performance in China took 1:40 minutes off the national record he set when he finished seventh at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

When speaking to local media, Ramakongoana’s American coach, James McKirdy, said the weather was warm but after 10 kilometres the sun appeared.

He said Ramakongoana ran a mostly strategic race with the focus to be amongst the front pack in the early stages of the race.

After 35km, the Olympian increased tempo and pushed the leading pack of 12 men that was a deciding point on who would make the podium.

From there the numbers in the leading group started to dwindle and with two kilometres to go, only four were in the running for podium places.

“(By) pushing hard, Tebello finished in 2:06:18 and earned 2nd place, both his time and his finishing position earned him the automatic standard for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo later this year,” McKirdy said.

“The Xiamen Marathon is an out and back course with moderate hills along the coast of China.

“Tebello’s time was also under the former course record and now sits as the second fastest time ever run for the event,” he continued.

The athlete is currently abroad in the United States where he is based and training.

He was Lesotho’s standout performer at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Ramakongoana finished fourth at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and he will hope to claim a medal at this year’s games scheduled to be held from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan.

Tlalane Phahla

Sports

Ramalefane request unsettles Matlama

Published

6 days ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

Matlama’s season, brimming with potential and promise, now teeters on the brink of unnecessary distraction due to the off-pitch antics of goalkeeper Monaheng Ramalefane.

His request to be released from his contract after losing his starting position to Leluma Mofoka has sparked a debate about professionalism, teamwork, and respect for contracts in football on social media.

Ramalefane’s behaviour should be a reminder that football is a team sport, not a platform for individual egos.

It is the timing of his letter as well that leaves a sour taste, with Matlama sitting atop the Vodacom Premier League and preparing for a crucial game against Majantja.

It’s a moment when the club needs unity, not controversy.

Yet, Ramalefane’s actions could undermine the club’s campaign.

What makes this scenario even more remarkable is Ramalefane’s history.

He once was the young shot-stopper, benching senior goalkeepers to become Matlama’s number one.

Now, with Mofoka in the ascendancy, Ramalefane appears unable to cope with the same competition he once thrived in.

Instead of embracing the challenge, he has chosen to walk away, which raises questions about his mentality and commitment.

Such behaviour is disappointing, not just for Matlama but for the broader Lesotho football community.

Ramalefane has been on the national team radar, with many believing he had the potential to be Likuena’s number one.

However, his antics, including skipping national team duties in the past, suggest a worrying trend of indiscipline.

Talent alone is not enough; discipline and a strong work ethic are equally important, qualities that Ramalefane seems to be lacking.

Matlama’s management need to act decisively to prevent his discontent from spreading within the squad.

Allowing such behaviour to go unchecked could set a bad precedent.

However, I do think this is an opportunity for the goalkeeper to reflect.

Rather than seeking an easy exit, perhaps he should consider the impact of his actions on his teammates and the supporters.

It would be best for him to put his head down, work hard, and earn back his spot.

With the fans, who have supported Matlama through thick and thin, he is unlikely to have many sympathisers on his side.

I think the fans would respect and love a player who fights for his place rather than one who demands special treatment when things don’t go their way.

Ultimately, this situation is a test for Matlama as a club and Ramalefane’s maturity as a professional.

Tlalane Phahla

Sports

Double header at Bambata

Published

6 days ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

The Vodacom Premier League resumes this weekend after the Christmas break, and football fans are gearing up for what should be an exciting second half of the season.

Five teams are in the race to claim the coveted premiership trophy and the exciting title chase has seen scores of football fans flock to the grounds this season.

What makes the league’s restart even more interesting is the open January transfer window, which adds another layer of excitement as enthusiasts follow along as clubs hustle to bolster their squads for the business end of the season.

On the field, the action gets underway on Saturday when the first double header of the New Year takes place at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena.

The first encounter will see Bantu, who are currently third on the log standings, take on bottom side ACE Maseru.

Title-chasing Bantu have an opportunity to close the gap on leaders Matlama to just two points with a victory, and ‘A Matšo Matebele’ would still have a game in hand.

ACE Maseru, other the other, remain winless this season and are rooted to the bottom of the table with only three points from 12 games.

As things stand, the premiership debutants require a miraculous turnaround if they are to avoid a swift return to the second tier.

In the second game of the double header, defending champions Lioli will take on another relegation threatened outfit in 15th-placed Mzamane.

A win for the champions would bring them within a point of leaders Matlama.

Matlama, for their part, have a difficult away game against Majantja in Mohale’s Hoek on Sunday.

Majantja, 10th on the log with 14 points, are aiming to finish in the top eight.

For Matlama, the match is critical to maintaining their lead but they will need to dig deep to secure maximum points on the road.

Elsewhere, Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) will take on Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) in a rivalry clash at Ratjomose Ground on Saturday.

The match is vital for both teams for different reasons.

Third-placed LMPS, currently level on points with Bantu, need a win to keep pace in the title race while 9th-placed LCS are desperate to kick-start what has been a disappointing campaign by their standards.

Lifofane and Linare’s encounter in Butha-Buthe is another game to lookout for.

Struggling Linare, who are languishing in 11th-place, will hope to gain some momentum against a Lifofane side that is riding high in sixth place.

The patience of Linare fans is wearing thin and a win is imperative for ‘Tse Tala’ to retain their supporters’ trust.

Weekend fixtures:

Saturday 11th January
Lioli vs Mzamane (Bambatha 16:30) (Live on FIFA+)
LCS vs LMPS (Ratjomose 16:00) (Live on FIFA+)
Bantu vs ACE Maseru (Bambatha 14:00)
Manonyane vs Machokha (Nyakosoba 16:00)
Sunday 12th January
Majantja vs Matlama (Mohale’s Hoek 16:00)
LDF vs Liphakoe (Ratjomose 16:00)
Lifofane vs Linare (Butha-Buthe 16:00)
Lijabatho vs LU FC (Morija 16:00)

Tlalane Phahla