(MENAFN- The Post) Lifofane are enjoying their best top-flight season since winning promotion in 2019.
The Butha-Buthe side are seventh in the Vodacom Premier League after a four-match unbeaten run and a win over relegation-threatened Manonyane on Sunday could see them catapult into the top six and within touching distance of an improbable top four finish.
The roots of Lifofane's success can partly be traced back to 2020 when they shocked the country by capturing the Matekane Group of Companies (MGC) Top 4 tournament.
The Buthe-Buthe outfit bagged M195 000 for winning the knockout competition in Matšonyane and that money has helped the upstart club progress.
Lifofane were able to buy training equipment and gear to improve their on-field product and, off the field, some money was saved to cover the team's food and transport costs on away days.
Five years later and Lifofane are reaping the benefits of their prudent management.
Their management choices include the hiring of Katiso Mojakhomo as coach in March last year and his arrival has been a home run – Lifofane have developed into a disciplined, well-oiled machine this season.
Mojakhomo is one of Lesotho's most successful coaches having won back-to-back league titles in 2007 and 2008 with the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) and his experience has allowed Lifofane to punch above their weight which was perfectly epitomised in their last two matches, a pair of 1-1 draws with Matlama and defending champions Bantu.
Both opponents were traditional giants desperately chasing the league title but Lifofane matched them blow for blow.
Mojakhomo said he is delighted with the improvement he has seen in his charges but there is still room to grow.
“It is our expectation to see the team at the top by the end of this Premier League season and we are going to work as hard as we can to make this happen,” he said.
Lifofane, of course, are not the league's first surprise package.
Many clubs have had a good season or two before fading away.
Sundawana and Sky Battalion are just two teams over the past decade that have taken the elite league by storm for one campaign only to vanish from memory.
Mojakhomo said Lifofane's vision extends beyond just doing well this season.
He said the club are determined not to allow their smaller stature to hinder their ambitions of establishing a long-term status in the premiership and competing with the big boys for seasons to come.
“There are many challenges that the team faces but we try to overcome them in as many ways as possible,” Mojakhomo said.
“The team's management work together to come up with solutions.”
Moipone Makhoalinyane
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