… LDF Ladies triumph in thrilling pre-season tournament
Thabo Rakhomo
Following the Women Diski Challenge Tournament, which saw eight women’s football clubs compete at Ratjomose Sports Grounds over the weekend, the Lesotho Women’s Super League (WSL), set to kick off on October 29, is expected to be highly competitive.
The tournament featured WSL teams, including LDF Ladies, Kick4Life Women, Berea Ladies, LMPS Ladies, Lijabatho Ladies, and newly promoted Bokamoso Ladies.
Completing the fixture were Hunters Ladies and Koalepe Ladies from the lower division.
The two-day event kicked off on Saturday with Bokamoso Ladies surprising football fans by defeating LMPS Ladies 2-1 to advance to the semifinals.
In other games, LDF Ladies dominated Koalepe Ladies with a resounding 9-0 win, Berea Ladies eased past Hunters Ladies 3-0, and Kick4Life Women defeated Lijabatho Ladies 3-0 in the final match of the day.
Sunday’s semi-finals were tightly contested, with every team vying for the championship. Berea Ladies advanced after a 5-3 penalty shootout win following a 1-1 draw against Bokamoso Ladies.
The second semi-final, anticipated as the “final before the final,” lived up to expectations, ending in a 0-0 draw. LDF Ladies triumphed 5-3 on penalties over Kick4Life Women to secure their spot in the final.
In the championship match, LDF Ladies showcased their dominance by defeating Berea Ladies 3-0, lifting the tournament trophy.
The tournament left women’s football fans praising the high level of competition, with coaches expressing satisfaction with the event as a valuable pre-season preparation.
“I said at the end of last season that women’s football is growing, and the dominance of one team will soon be a thing of the past. Today, we saw how strong Kick4Life Women were against us,” said LDF Ladies coach Lengana Nkhethoa.
Kick4Life Women coach, Teboho Takisi, had mixed emotions after his team’s penalty loss but expressed confidence in their readiness for the upcoming league season.
Individual awards were also presented: Boelo Lepheane of Kick4Life Women won the Golden Glove, ‘Mafusi Phezulu claimed the Golden Boot with three goals, Berea Ladies’ Lehloenya Nkhasi was named Coach of the Tournament, and Bokang Ntsane of LDF Ladies was honoured as Player of the Tournament.
With the tournament behind them, all eyes now turn to the highly anticipated new season, which promises thrilling matches.
Fixtures for 29/09/2024:
- Lijabatho vs Mphaki HS Ladies
- Thaba-Tseka Ladies vs LDF Ladies
- Berea Ladies vs Bokamoso College Ladies
- FC Stoko vs Kick4Life Women
- LMPS Ladies vs Bantu Ladies
