Lesotho women's national football team

 Lesotho
Association Lesotho Football Association
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation COSAFA
(Southern Africa)
FIFA code LES
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current NR (26 August 2016)
Highest 92 (2009)
Lowest 148 (September 2015)
First international
 Mozambique 0 − 3  Lesotho
(Mozambique; 28 March 1998)
Biggest win
 Lesotho 9 − 0  Zambia
(Harare; 23 April 2002)
Biggest defeat
 Lesotho 0 − 15  Zimbabwe
(Harare; 19 April 2002)

The Lesotho women's national football team represents the country in international competitions.

Background and development

Early development of the women's game at the time colonial powers brought football to the continent was limited as colonial powers in the region tended to take make concepts of patriarchy and women's participation in sport with them to local cultures that had similar concepts already embedded in them.[1] The lack of later development of the national team on a wider international level symptomatic of all African teams is a result of several factors, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women in the wider society, and fundamental inequality present in the society that occasionally allows for female specific human rights abuses.[2] When quality female football players are developed, they tend to leave for greater opportunities abroad.[3] Continent wide, funding is also an issue, with most development money coming from FIFA, not the national football association.[3] Future, success for women's football in Africa is dependent on improved facilities and access by women to these facilities. Attempting to commercialise the game and make it commercially viable is not the solution, as demonstrated by the current existence of many youth and women's football camps held throughout the continent.[1] Nada Grkinic was FIFA's international development manager. In 2007, one of her goals was to work on improving women's football in Africa and included work specifically pertaining to Lesotho.[4]

The national federation was created in 1932.[5] They joined FIFA in 1964. Their kit includes blue, white and green shirts, white shorts, and blue and white socks.[5][6]

Football is the third most popular sport in the country, behind netball and athletics.[5] Inside Lesotho, football is used to develop women's self-esteem.[7] In 2006, there were 5,200 registered female football players, of which 5,000 were junior players and 200 were senior players.[5] The number of female players has been increasing. In 2000, there were 210 registered players. In 2001, there were 350 registered players. In 2002, there were 480 registered players. In 2003, there were 750 registered players. In 2004, there were 2,180 registered players. In 2005, there were 4,600 registered players. In 2006, there were 5,200 registered players.[5] In 2006, there were 61 total football clubs in the country, with 54 being mixed gendered teams and 7 being all women teams.[5] Rights to broadcast the 2011 Women's World Cup in the country were bought by the African Union of Broadcasting.[8]

History

The senior team is nicknamed the Beautiful Flowers.[9]

On 28 March 1998, Lesotho played Mozambique in Mozambique. The game was tied 0-0 at the half before Mozambique scored three goals to win the game 3-0.[10] In Maseru on 19 April 1998, Lesotho again played Mozambique. Lesotho was up 2-1 at the half and went on to win the game 4-2.[10] In 2002, the team played 4 games.[5] The country participated in the 2002 COSAFA Women's Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe. They were in Group A. They lost on 19 April to Zimbabwe 0-15, lost to Malawi 0-3 on 21 April, and lost to Zambia 1-3 on 23 April.[10][11] In 2003, the team played 1 game.[5] In 2004, the team played 1 game.[5] In 2005, the team played 2 games.[5] In 2005, Zambia was supposed to host a regional COSAFA women's football tournament, with ten teams agreeing to send teams including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.[12]

In 2006, the team had 3 training sessions a week and played 2 games.[5] The country participated in the 2006 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations women's tournament in Lusaka. They were in Group B. On 22 August, they lost to South Africa 0-9. On 23 August, the team lost to Malawi 0-3.[10][11] The national team's poor performance was contributed to by the fact that they only held a training camp for the competition a week before it started.[13] In 2006, the national team coach was Lethola Masimong. Masimong wanted a national league created in the country in order to help develop the game and improve the national team's performance. His comments came after the team was eliminated from the 2006 Confederation of Southern African Football Associations tournament.[13]

In 2010, the country did not have a team competing in the African Women's Championships.[14] The country did not have a team competing at the 2011 All Africa Games.[15] In July 2011, the team played several games in Harare. On 2 July 2011, the Lesotho played Zimbabwe, losing 0-4. On 2 July, they played Mozambique. At half time, they were tied 2-2 but went on to win the game 3-2. On 5 July, they lost to Malawi 2-5.[10][16] The games were part of the 2011 COSAFA Women’s Championship.[16] On 17 August 2011, in a game in Maseru, they lost 0-4 to Mozambique.[10]

In 2006, Lesotho women's national football team was ranked 125.[17] In 2007, they were ranked 144.[17] In 2008, they were ranked 117.[17] In 2009, they were ranked 92.[17] In 2010, they were ranked 128.[17] In 2011, they were ranked 136.[17] In March 2012, they were ranked 135th best in the world.[17] In June 2012, the team was ranked the 135th best in the world.[18]

Record

Date Location Home team Score Away team Source
28/03/1998 Mozambique Mozambique Mozambique 3:0 (0:0) Lesotho Lesotho [10]
12/04/1998 Maseru Lesotho Lesotho 4:2 (2:1) Mozambique Mozambique [10]
19/04/2002 Harare Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 15:00 Lesotho Lesotho [10]
21/04/2002 Harare Lesotho Lesotho 0:03 Malawi Malawi [10]
23/04/2002 Harare Lesotho Lesotho 9:00 Zambia Zambia [10]
22/08/2006 Lusaka Lesotho Lesotho 0:9 (0:5) South Africa South Africa [10]
23/08/2006 Lusaka Lesotho Lesotho 0:3 (0:1) Malawi Malawi [10]
2/07/2011 Harare Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 4:00 Lesotho Lesotho [10]
3/07/2011 Harare Lesotho Lesotho 3:2 (2:2) Mozambique Mozambique [10]
5/07/2011 Harare Malawi Malawi 5:02 Lesotho Lesotho [10]
17/08/2011 Maseru Lesotho Lesotho 0:04 Mozambique Mozambique [10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Peter Alegi (2 March 2010). African Soccerscapes: How a Continent Changed the World's Game. Ohio University Press. ISBN 978-0-89680-278-0. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. ↑ Jean Williams (15 December 2007). A Beautiful Game: International Perspectives on Women's Football. Berg. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-84520-674-1. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 Gabriel Kuhn (24 February 2011). Soccer Vs. the State: Tackling Football and Radical Politics. PM Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-60486-053-5. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  4. ↑ Northcroft, Jonathan (June 3, 2007). "Big game hunters - Football". The Sunday Times. London, England. p. 12. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 FIFA (2006). "Women's Football Today" (PDF): 114. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  6. ↑ Pickering, David (1994). The Cassell soccer companion : history, facts, anecdotes. London: Cassell. p. 181. ISBN 0304342319. OCLC 59851970.
  7. ↑ Allen, Karen (2011-03-08). "BBC News - Has Lesotho bridged the gender gap?". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
  8. ↑ "FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011TM Media Rights Licensees" (PDF). FIFA. 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  9. ↑ de Kretser, Chris; Firkin, Katherine (January 13, 2010). "Pharaohs lead African assault". Herald Sun. Melbourne, Australia. p. 69. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Lesotho: Fixtures and Results". Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  11. 1 2 "COSAFA Women Tournaments". Rsssf.com. 2006-09-07. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  12. ↑ Mukoka, Augustine (August 16, 2005). "The Post (Zambia) - AAGM: Zambia to Host Cosafa Women's Soccer Tourney". The Post. Lusaka, Zambia. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  13. 1 2 Nambule, Wendy (August 24, 2006). "Lesotho Coach Calls for Women Soccer League". The Post. Lusaka, Zambia. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  14. ↑ "Fixtures - African Women Championship 2010 - CAF". Cafonline.com. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  15. ↑ "Groups & standings - All Africa Games women 2011 - CAF". Cafonline.com. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  16. 1 2 "Cosafa Competitions". Cosafa.com. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Lesotho: FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA.com. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  18. ↑ "The FIFA Women's World Ranking". FIFA.com. 2009-09-25. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
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