Lesotho stutter against South Africa

by BackPageTXT

Saturday Jun 18, 2016. 19:18

Although Lesotho scored first they failed to win the game as they lost 4-2 on penalties to South Africa during their 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup Quarter-Finals at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Likoena scored through Jane Thaba-Ntso, but Bafana Bafana equalised through Gift Motupa to take the match to penalty shoot-outs.

However, penalties by Jeremiah Kamela, Hlompho Kalake and two misses from captain Basia Makepe and Tumelo Khutlang failed to hand Lesotho a win.

On the other hand penalties from Deolin Mekoa, Abbubaker Mobara, Menzi Masuku, Aubrey Modiba and two saves from Reyaad Pieterse were enough to hand Bafana Bafana the win.

Although South Africa started like a house on fire in a packed stadium, they failed to convert their chances and allowed the Likoena back in the game.

In the 14th minute, Bafana Bafana received a free kick and Modiba failed to keep his attempt on target as it flew over the bar.

However, against the run of play in the 19th minute, Lesotho broke the deadlock when Jane Thaba-Ntso broke free and made his entry into the box before making a good turn and unleashed a great shot to beat Reyaad Pieterse on his far post.

It was 1-0 at the interval.

The side from the mountainous kingdom continued to push for their second goal, butit was Coetzee that tried from range after good build up play, but the Ajax Cape Town defender couldn't trouble Jousse in the 63rd minute.

Two minutes later, Motupa finally bagged an equaliser when he was unmarked in the the box to easily head home, beating Jousse from Tebogo Moerane's delivery.

With fifteen minutes remaining, Thaba-Ntso nearly punished Bafana after a through ball beat the defence and his header to beat the oncoming Pieterse narrowly missed the target.

A few minutes later, Defender Kopano Tseka rescued Lesotho when he cleared the ball on the line from a sweet ball courtesy of Menzi Masuku.

With five minutes remaining, Motupa was shown a red card after a second bookable offence.

In the end there was no winner and it had to be decided on penalties to determine the cup semi-finalists.

In the wake of the loss, Lesotho will now meet the loser of the match between Zambia and Swaziland in the Plate Semi-finals on Tuesday afternoon.

Lesotho: (1) 1 (Thaba-Ntso 19') (2) AET

South Africa: (0) 1 (Motupa 65') (4) AET

Lesotho: Jousse (Mokhele 90'), Makepe, Moremoholo, Tseka, Kalake, Potloane (Mkwanazi 52'), Mahula, Thaba-Ntso, Seturumane (Motebang 60'), Kamela, Khutlang

South Africa: Pieterse, Coetzee, Rikhotso, Phiri, Mobara, Motupa, Sikhakhane (Mekoa 46'), Moerane, Lorch (Kutumela 65'), Moseamedi (Masuku 46'), Modiba