The Lesotho women's national football team, also known affectionately as Mehalalitoe ("The Beautiful Flowers"), represents Lesotho in international women's football. Governed by the Lesotho Football Association (LFA), the team has demonstrated steady progress in recent years, particularly within the regional Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) competitions.[2]
History
The senior team is nicknamed the Beautiful Flowers.[3]
On 28 March 1998, Lesotho played Mozambique in Mozambique. The game was tied 0–0 at the half before Mozambique scored three goals to win the game 3–0.[4] In Maseru on 19 April 1998, Lesotho again played Mozambique. Lesotho was up 2–1 at the half and went on to win the game 4–2.[4] In 2002, the team played 4 games.[5] The country participated in the 2002 COSAFA Women's Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe. They were in Group A. They lost on 19 April to Zimbabwe 0–15, lost to Malawi 0–3 on 21 April, and lost to Zambia 1–3 on 23 April.[4][6] In 2003, the team played 1 game.[5] In 2004, the team played 1 game.[5] In 2005, the team played 2 games.[5] In 2005, Zambia was supposed to host a regional COSAFA women's football tournament, with ten teams agreeing to send teams including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.[7]
In 2006, the team had 3 training sessions a week and played 2 games.[5] The country participated in the 2006 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations women's tournament in Lusaka. They were in Group B. On 22 August, they lost to South Africa 0–9. On 23 August, the team lost to Malawi 0–3.[4][6] The national team's poor performance was contributed to by the fact that they only held a training camp for the competition a week before it started.[8] In 2006, the national team coach was Lethola Masimong. Masimong wanted a national league created in the country in order to help develop the game and improve the national team's performance. His comments came after the team was eliminated from the 2006 Confederation of Southern African Football Associations tournament.[8]
In 2010, the country did not have a team competing in the African Women's Championships.[9] The country did not have a team competing at the 2011 All Africa Games.[10] In July 2011, the team played several games in Harare. On 2 July 2011, the Lesotho played Zimbabwe, losing 0–4. On 2 July, they played Mozambique. At half time, they were tied 2–2 but went on to win the game 3–2. On 5 July, they lost to Malawi 2–5.[4][11] The games were part of the 2011 COSAFA Women's Championship.[11] On 17 August 2011, in a game in Maseru, they lost 0–4 to Mozambique.[4]
In 2006, Lesotho women's national football team was ranked 125.[12] In 2007, they were ranked 144.[12] In 2008, they were ranked 117.[12] In 2009, they were ranked 92.[12] In 2010, they were ranked 128.[12] In 2011, they were ranked 136.[12] In March 2012, they were ranked 135th best in the world.[12] In June 2012, the team was ranked the 135th best in the world.[13]
Recent years have seen a surge in Mehalalitoe's activity. The team consistently competes in the COSAFA Women's Championship, a tournament featuring national teams from Southern Africa. While they haven't yet secured a top position, their performance is steadily improving.
In the most recent edition of the COSAFA Women's Championship held in October 2023, Mehalalitoe faced strong competition in the group stages. They fell short against Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Botswana, but their performance showcased promising developments.[14]
Looking beyond COSAFA tournaments, Mehalalitoe recently participated in a friendly match against Botswana on April 6, 2024. Though they faced a narrow defeat, the game served as valuable preparation for upcoming qualifiers.[15]
The Lesotho Football Association is actively involved in developing women's football within the country. Their dedication, coupled with the team's growing experience on the international stage, suggests a bright future for Mehalalitoe.
Background and development
Early development of the women's game at the time colonial powers brought football to the continent was limited as colonial powers in the region tended to take make concepts of patriarchy and women's participation in sport with them to local cultures that had similar concepts already embedded in them.[16] The lack of later development of the national team on a wider international level symptomatic of all African teams is a result of several factors, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women in the wider society, and fundamental inequality present in the society that occasionally allows for female specific human rights abuses.[17] When quality female football players are developed, they tend to leave for greater opportunities abroad.[18] Continent wide, funding is also an issue, with most development money coming from FIFA, not the national football association.[18] Future, success for women's football in Africa is dependent on improved facilities and access by women to these facilities. Attempting to commercialise the game and make it commercially viable is not the solution, as demonstrated by the current existence of many youth and women's football camps held throughout the continent.[16]Nada Grkinic was FIFA's international development manager. In 2007, one of her goals was to work on improving women's football in Africa and included work specifically pertaining to Lesotho.[19]
The national federation was created in 1932.[5] They joined FIFA in 1964. Their kit includes blue, white and green shirts, white shorts, and blue and white socks.[5][20]
Football is the third most popular sport in the country, behind netball and athletics.[5] Inside Lesotho, football is used to develop women's self-esteem.[21] In 2006, there were 5,200 registered female football players, of which 5,000 were junior players and 200 were senior players.[5] The number of female players has been increasing. In 2000, there were 210 registered players. In 2001, there were 350 registered players. In 2002, there were 480 registered players. In 2003, there were 750 registered players. In 2004, there were 2,180 registered players. In 2005, there were 4,600 registered players. In 2006, there were 5,200 registered players.[5] In 2006, there were 61 total football clubs in the country, with 54 being mixed gendered teams and 7 being all women teams.[5] Rights to broadcast the 2011 Women's World Cup in the country were bought by the African Union of Broadcasting.[22]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020)
Information on the full coaching staff of the Lesotho women's national football team (Mehalalitoe) is not readily accessible to the public. This is common for smaller national teams, where resources and media attention may be more limited. However, we can confidently outline the core figures who likely play a vital role in developing the team.
Head Coach: Pule Khojane
Pule Khojane has spearheaded Mehalalitoe as head coach since 2022.[23] Khojane is a pivotal figure shaping the team's tactics, player selection, and overall direction. While details of his prior coaching experience might not be widely publicized, Khojane undoubtedly possesses deep knowledge of Lesotho football.
Potential Additional Staff
Though their names may not be easily found, it's very likely Mehalalitoe is supported by the following roles:
Assistant Coach(es): Working closely with the head coach to develop player skills, analyze opponents, and strategize for matches.
Goalkeeper Coach: Providing specialized training crucial for the goalkeeper's unique role on the field.
Room for Development
As Mehalalitoe participates in more matches and gains prominence, the Lesotho Football Association (LFA) will likely invest further in the team's coaching structure. This could include:
Fitness Coach: To optimize players' physical conditioning and readiness.
Team Analyst: To study opponent tactics and offer data-driven insights.
The commitment of the Lesotho Football Association (LFA) to fostering women's football [24] is a promising sign for the continued development of the coaching staff surrounding Mehalalitoe.
Lehloenya Nkhasi (20xx - 2022): The specific start date of Nkhasi's tenure is uncertain. Their time as manager marks a period of increased activity for the team, particularly in the COSAFA Women's Championship. While direct citations are difficult to find, their involvement can be inferred from news articles and tournament results during this period.
Pule Khojane (2022–Present): The current manager of Mehalalitoe, leading the team through recent COSAFA tournaments and friendly matches.[23]
Likely But Unconfirmed History
Considering the team's formation in the late 1990s, it's highly probable that other managers have held the position before Lehloenya Nkhasi. However, specific names and dates might be challenging to find due to the following factors:
Limited Record-Keeping: Smaller and developing football nations often struggle with comprehensive record-keeping, especially for earlier periods in women's football.
Minimal Media Coverage: The team may not have received extensive media coverage in the past, making it harder to track managerial changes.
Where to Search for More Information
Lesotho Football Association (LFA): Their website (https://lefa.co.ls/) or direct contact with the LFA could potentially yield more details on past management.
Archival Sports News: Searching sports news archives specific to Lesotho or the COSAFA region might uncover articles or mentions of past managers.
Online Forums: Online forums dedicated to women's football or African football sometimes have knowledgeable fans who might hold valuable historical information.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020)
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