All set for Alliance Winter Challenge

Luciah Phahla

Maseru

THE second annual Alliance Winter Challenge is set. The two day pre-season showpiece featuring four of Lesotho’s top clubs will take centre stage on July 30 and 31 at Setsoto Stadium.

The competition, which serves as a high profile off-season preparation for its contestants, is sponsored by Alliance Insurance and was inaugurated last year.

It is contested by the three clubs under Alliance’s sponsorship banner, Matlama, Lioli and Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS), with the fourth contender an invited team.

Last season the invite went to Liphakoe, this year the fourth club is Butha-Buthe based Sundawana who have enjoyed a meteoric rise in local football over the past 12 months.

And, after a sterling performance during the 2015/16 season in which ‘Tse Bo Yellow’ finished in the league’s top four, Sundawana are expected to provide stiff competition. Lioli, Matlama, LCS and Sundawana are also the four clubs that will contest the Independence Cup in October.

Alliance Insurance general manager Lehana Setšabi said the tournament is meant to bring together the teams sponsored by the company and build friendship as they prepare for the new season.

“This is the second tournament, it started last year. It is meant to bring together the teams sponsored by Alliance, to watch them play together in preparation for the new season,” he said.

Last season the Alliance Winter Challenge was won by Matlama who beat Lioli 2-0 in the final.

There is no prize money on offer but the winning team will go home with a non-floating trophy and gold medals. The two-day gate takings will also be shared equally by the four teams.

There will be individual awards for the top goalscorer and goalkeeper of the tournament. The man of the match in the final will also receive a trophy and all three awards carry M2 000 prize money.

Alliance Insurance public relations officer Limakatso Mokobocho said it is the teams’ responsibility to advertise the tournament as the money collected will go to them.

“It’s your responsibility as the clubs’ spokespersons to market this tournament so that the fans can come in numbers at Setsoto because all the gate takings collected will be shared equally by the teams, and the gate fee is still the same as last year, it is still M20 (per day),” Mokobocho said.

The draw ensuing pulled two intriguing ties with defending champions Matlama hosting Sundawana in the first semi-final followed by a clash between Lioli and LCS.

The second day will start with the losers’ final before the main event later in the afternoon.

Alliance Winter Challenge fixture:

Saturday, 30 July

Matlama vs. Sundawana

Lioli vs. LCS

Sunday, 31 July

Losers’ final

Championship final