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Lesotho arrive for Chan tie

Sport
Lesotho senior men’s national football team found no welcoming party when they arrived in the country on Wednesday afternoon for their African Nations Championships (Chan) encounter against the Warriors on Sunday at Barbourfields Stadium.

Lesotho senior men’s national football team found no welcoming party when they arrived in the country on Wednesday afternoon for their African Nations Championships (Chan) encounter against the Warriors on Sunday at Barbourfields Stadium.

BY SAKHELENI NXUMALO

The visitors had to endure a two-hour wait at Joshua Mqabuko International Airport, with Zifa Southern Region officials unaware they had landed in the country.

Head of delegation of the Likuena (Crocodiles), Khiba Mohoanyane, downplayed the incident and blamed it on a communication breakdown.

“We touched down at around 2pm yesterday (Wednesday) and there was a little bit of a delay in our being met at the airport, but I must emphasise that it is normal, it happens in the game of football when there is a communication breakdown,” he said.

Asked where the communication breakdown was, Mohoanyane said: “I talked to the Zifa CEO Jonathan [Mashingaidze] before we left home and he knew of our arrival, maybe he just did not communicate to his colleagues, but such things happen and the Zifa people came and met us when they got to know of our presence with even the chairman of this region turning up at the airport.”

Mohoanyane said that they had to phone back to Lesotho and ask their football association to contact their Zimbabwe counterparts and alert them of their plight.

A source at the Zifa Southern Region offices confirmed they had been unaware of the exact time of arrival of the Lesotho squad, but claimed they had maintained a state of preparedness and quickly rescued the situation.

“We kept enquiring from the head office when the visitors were coming, but the response that we got was that they were unsure. So we resolved to stay prepared, thus we were able to quickly go and collect them from the airport,” the source said.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela confirmed that they had been unaware of Lesotho’s arrival, but put the blame squarely on the visitors.

“They did not communicate their itinerary to us in writing and we were not aware when exactly they were coming,” he said.

The visitors were booked at the Holiday Inn hotel for one night through the benevolence of the Premier Soccer League, but indications yesterday afternoon were that they would be moved to another location.

Speaking after his team’s morning training session at Gifford High School, Lesotho head coach, Seephephe Matete said they would try to upset the Warriors in their own backyard.

“We know that we are the underdogs in this competition because Zimbabwe has more experienced players who are professionals, while we are amateurs but you know in football anything can happen,” he said.

“It will be good to get a good result here so that we can get through and we must have ball possession but the trick will be to stop Zimbabwe from playing their normal game in the first 15 minutes.”

Lesotho squad;

Samuel Kh’etsekile, Mohau Kuenane, Jeremia Kamela, Thapelo Tale, Kefuoe Mahula, Tsosane Phafa, Motlalepula Mofolo, Thaphelo Mokhehle, Bushy Moletsane, Lekhanya Lekhanya, Bokang Mothoana, Masoabi Nkoto, Hlompho Kalake, Ts’oanelo Koetle, Basia Makepe, Tsepo Seturumane, Ralekoti Mokhahlane, Moitheri Ntobo, Jane Thaba-Ntso. Team officials Khiba Mohoanyane (HOD), Seephephe Matete, (head coach), Halemakale Mahlahla (assistant coach), Shokhoe Matsoai (GK coach), Ketsebile Phatsoane, Mzwakhe Motala, Keneuoe Ntholeng.