Massive Ladies trio sign with SA club

TEBOHO JAFETA

MASERU – Three Lesotho women footballers ‘Mamakoanyane Makibinyane, Rapelang Makhetha and Mpoetsi Ranchobe have signed with Pretoria based-side, Hallellujah Zebra Force Soccer Team, campaigning in the Sasol Women Provincial League in Gauteng.

The trio from Massive Ladies Club impressed the Zebra FC technical team during trials held last week. Massive Ladies are campaigning in the Maseru District Women Football League. The club Team Manager, ‘Methe Kotelo, said this was their first time ever to have players moving to a club outside the country since the club’s formation last year.

“This is a great achievement,” said Kotelo. He further said: “We started this club as young people. I am the only one above 22 years among the club co-founders. Our aim in starting this club is to be the change we want to see in the football industry.

“We aimed to bring change to the football industry and decided to change Basotho women players’ lives by giving them opportunities to join other foreign clubs in Africa. Our target is to send as many players as possible to play abroad.”

Kotelo said the club’s head coach, Motlatsi Mosiuoa, was still with the players in South Africa to facilitate for them to get transfer to study in over there while also playing football. “The coach will come back home after completing all the players’ logistics,” Kotelo further said.

Makibinyane is a Form E student, Ranchobe a Form B while Makhetha is a Form C student. Kotelo said as the players would now further their studies in South Africa, all the costs would be covered by the Zebra and they would be living at the club’s home village.

Massive Ladies, Kotelo said, used to play friendly matches against all the top-flight Lesotho Women Super League teams. Massive Ladies are yet to play their first match in the Maseru District League since they registered with DIFA Maseru in August 2020, since the league was halted due to COVID-19.

The Maseru based-club was founded last year by four co-founders Lehlohonolo Mahobe, Mpheresu Kotelo, Motlatsi Mosiuoa and ‘Methe Kotelo.