Mikia Kalati
MASERU — Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) head coach Motheo Mohapi has blamed injuries and fatigue for their failure to win the Vodacom Premier League title this season.
The army side lost the title to bitter rivals Lesotho Correctional Services (LCS) for the second successive year.
The former Likuena coach on Friday said he was a broken man after he lost the championship to LCS to end another frustrating and barren season.
LDF last lifted the premier league trophy in 2004.
LCS were last Sunday crowned league champions after beating Joy 2-0.
The victory enabled LCS to open an eight-point lead at the top with two matches left before the end of the season.
LDF currently sit in second position and boast one of the tightest defences in the Vodacom Premier League.
However, the real problem that Mohapi’s men seemed to face this season was their inconsistency towards the end of the race.
Mohapi told the Sunday Express that fatigue and injuries also had their toll on the team.
“We all felt the pain and frustration of losing the title.
“I felt that we didn’t match LCS in terms of depth because of injuries to several key players in our squad,” he said.
The former LDF player said his team looked to be on the right track to end their seven-year league drought before suffering a slump in form.
“I felt we lacked the quality to replace injured and suspended key members and in the end we paid the price for it,” Mohapi said.
He added that he was pleased that LDF kept fighting and creating goal scoring chances along the way.
They still had a good squad and just needed to add a little composure in front of goals to improve.
They also needed to add a few quality players to strengthen the squad.
Mohapi said he is confident that they will be a much better side in the new season.
LDF public relations officer, Donny Ntakha, also shared his frustrations with this paper.
Ntakha noted that it was also frustrating to lose to Matlama in the Vodacom Soccer Spectacular semi-finals this season.
“We have always been there in the thick of action battling for major trophies, but failed to win any of them,” he said.
“I believe that lifting the Vodacom Spectacular trophy could have changed our fortunes.
“It was going to motivate the players to go all the way and make it a double, by winning the cup and league trophy.”
Since winning the league title in 2004, Sohle-Sohle has won just one trophy, the Buddie Top 4 in 2008.
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