Thabo Rakhomo
The Lesotho Women’s Under-20 team is currently competing in the 2024 COSAFA Women’s Championship, held in Soweto, South Africa.
The tournament began on Tuesday and will conclude on Sunday, featuring five national teams: South Africa (hosts), Lesotho, Zambia, Mozambique, and Botswana.
Teams are battling in a round-robin format, where each team faces all others, and the team finishing first will be crowned champions. This point system format was also used during the 2014 AUSC Region 5 Games.
Lesotho’s campaign opened with a tough 9-0 defeat to Zambia, exposing the team’s lack of preparation and experience. In the second fixture of the day, South Africa cruised past Mozambique with a 4-0 victory.
Speaking after the match, Lesotho coach Elizabeth Yelimala congratulated Zambia’s coach and acknowledged the challenges her team faced. “Most of my players are experiencing this level of competition for the first time. It took them a while to settle, especially playing against athletes they’ve only seen on television,” she said.
Yelimala also noted that the team’s preparation was far from ideal, with most players taken straight from school to join the tournament. This lack of readiness was evident during the match, as Lesotho struggled to string together five consecutive passes, while Zambia displayed superior chemistry and experience.
Zambia’s dominance continued in their second match, where they defeated hosts South Africa 3-0, showcasing their strength and tournament readiness.
Lesotho’s second game will see them take on South Africa today at 3 PM at the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus Stadium.
Despite the tough opening, Yelimala remains optimistic. “We’ve learned a lot from the Zambia match. We will work on fixing our issues and aim to present a stronger team against South Africa and in our upcoming games,” she said.
Lesotho’s remaining fixtures are:
- Botswana on Saturday, November 23, at 3 PM
- Mozambique on Sunday, November 24, at 12 PM
As the team continues in the tournament, fans hope to see an improved performance and valuable lessons learned for future competitions.
Summary
- The Lesotho Women’s Under-20 team is currently competing in the 2024 COSAFA Women’s Championship, held in Soweto, South Africa.
- We will work on fixing our issues and aim to present a stronger team against South Africa and in our upcoming games,” she said.
- As the team continues in the tournament, fans hope to see an improved performance and valuable lessons learned for future competitions.
Welcome to Newsday Media – Your Trusted Source for News and Insights in Lesotho!
At Newsday Media, we are passionate about delivering accurate, timely, and engaging news and multimedia content to our diverse audience. Founded with the vision of revolutionizing the media landscape in Lesotho, we have grown into a leading hybrid media company that blends traditional journalism with innovative digital platforms.
Our mission is simple: to inform, inspire, and empower our readers by providing comprehensive coverage of local and global events, current affairs, and cultural happenings. Whether you’re looking for breaking news, in-depth analysis, or captivating storytelling, Newsday Media is your go-to destination for all things news-related.
With a dedicated team of journalists, editors, and multimedia experts, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity and professionalism. We pride ourselves on delivering content that not only informs but also sparks conversation, fosters understanding, and drives positive change in our society.
From our flagship newspaper to our dynamic digital platforms, we offer a wide range of multimedia content to cater to the diverse interests and preferences of our audience. Whether you prefer to stay informed through print, online articles, videos, or podcasts, Newsday Media has something for everyone.
We believe in the power of storytelling to connect people, bridge divides, and inspire action. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing a platform for voices from all walks of life, championing diversity, inclusion, and authenticity in everything we do.
Thank you for visiting Newsday Media. We invite you to explore our website, engage with our content, and join us on our journey to inform, inspire, and empower our community. Together, let’s shape the future of media in Lesotho.
