By Tumelo Maseka
MASERU
On Saturday, two teams from the National University of Lesotho, Rovers Ladies (Main Campus) and Institute of Extra Mural Studies (IEMS) United Ladies (Maseru Campus) wrangled to represent the university in the Lesotho Universities and Colleges Sports Association (LUCSA) finals that were to play the following day.
The match was at Lesotho College of Education (LCE) over the weekend.
This was the second round for LUCSA games, giving tertiary learners opportunities to showcase their talents in sports. The first round was in April when the LUCSA games commenced after two years’ restrictions where games, neither indoors nor outdoors, were paused from playing as one of the precautionary measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
LUCSA games had last played in October 2019 and were to proceed to the second round in March 2020 when the lockdown initiated.
It was an exciting match watching two teams from the same university win from their previous quarterfinals where Rovers Ladies trashed Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP) Ladies 2-0 and IEMS United Ladies flogged LCE Ladies 2-0 on the same day, a win that paved a way for both teams to battle each other in the semi-finals.
Their previous game was when both Rovers Ladies and IEMS United Ladies shared spoils during the first round of LUCSA games that took place at LCE in April. It was a stale-mate game where neither Rovers Ladies nor IEMS United Ladies claimed victory, and eventually led to a full time score; Rovers Ladies 2-2 IEMS Unite Ladies.
However, this time around it was astonishing and at the same time entertaining to see these two teams play since the level of football played, the thrill, the exchange of ball possession was truly amazing.
The game of the fairly matched university teams started with a mild tempo as the two teams gave their all to make a leading score to prove point of being the best team to be crowned university representative in the finals. Despite having a balanced ball possession, Rovers made their debut seen by making a two goals lead in the first half. Rovers Ladies 2-0 IEMS United Ladies.
Now Rovers had assumed that they were done with IEMS through the two goals score and also due to the fact that they were members of Women Super League whereas IEMS United Ladies were not.
To their surprise, IEMS was never discouraged from the two goals scored as their momentum and their fighting spirit intensified thus IEMS making equalization of two before the first half. The half-time score; Rovers Ladies 2-2 IEMS United Ladies.
Rovers Ladies took an opportunity to penetrate through the weak defenders’ boarder during the second-half, making two leading goals. Even though IEMS United Ladies were fighting to equalise, the time was already up. Full time score; Rovers Ladies 4-2 IEMS United Ladies.
In an interview with Informative Sport, Rovers Ladies acting Coach Thakane Senyatsi disclosed that their main concern was to have unique formation whereby they will use four attacking strikers and that make for their benefit since they manage to frustrate their opponents.
“We attacked with four strikers, and managed to score more goals than we expected. Even though we won, they did give us a tough game due to central middle-fielder that overleaped too much, so they did not recover on time, leaving our centre wide open for our opponents to penetrate,” she illustrated.
However, Senyatsi’s promise of going to be crowned LUCSA Champions never succeeded since they were whipped 1-0 by Lesotho Opportunities Industrialization Centre (LOIC) Ladies on Sunday; that lead to LOIC eventually being the LUCSA Champions.
Weekend results; 1st Place was LOIC Ladies (LUCSA Champions), 2nd place was Rovers Ladies and on the 3rd place was IEMS United Ladies.
