By: Lebohang Maluke
MASERU
In the result of Mehalalitoe’s narrow 0-1 defeat to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in a recent friendly match, head coach Lehohla Shalane provides a straight reflection on the team’s performance and offered insight into what the loss means for the team moving forward.
Despite the loss, Lehohla’s reaction is measured, underscoring the value of friendly matches as opportunities to scale a team’s current capabilities and areas for improvement.
He highlights that friendly games, offer a crucial platform for both teams to assess their strengths and weaknesses. Friendly games are a way to see the capability of the teams. For Mehalalitoe, the match provides an important sight into their potential, even though they were unable to secure a win.
He acknowledges that while the team did not come away with the desired result, they demonstrated several positive aspects of their play throughout the match. Though Lesotho lost, it highlights the fact that the team has made significant progress in their development.
One key aspect that he points out was the missed scoring opportunities that ultimately cost Mehalalitoe in the match. “We missed two chances of scoring,” he mentions, but unfortunately, they could not benefit from them. Lehohla’s analysis points to the team’s need to improve their finishing in front of goal, a crucial area to focus on as they look ahead to more challenging fixtures.
While Lehohla acknowledges that Mehalalitoe did show promise, he did not shy away from admitting the superiority of their opponents. Banyana Banyana, rankes among the top teams on the continent, ultimately proved to be the better side on the day.
When you compare the two teams, Banyana Banyana is clearly better. He recognises the quality and experience that Banyana Banyana brought to the match, and while Mehalalitoe may have come close, the South African team’s precision and composure ultimately made the difference.
Instead, he used the loss as a stepping stone for future growth. Highlighting that they are fully aware of the areas that needs improvement, expressing confidence that the technical team is ready to work on strategies to address the team’s weaknesses.
The loss to Banyana Banyana does not define the team but instead highlights the need for continuous improvement, especially in areas like finishing, defensive organisation, and tactical discipline.
As the team prepares for future challenges, Lehohla’s message is one of hope and determination. With the hard work and the right focus, Mehalalitoe can build on the lessons learned from the friendly match and continue to develop into a formidable team. The head coach’s optimistic tone reflects his belief in the potential of the players and their ability to grow and compete at the highest levels.