Mbabane Highlanders coach Selaotse ‘Sly’ Mosala has singled out a sacrifice by former AmaZulu striker Josef Lekata that touched the core of his heart.
Highlanders had a crucial encounter over the weekend as they hosted Royal AM in a CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round tie in Mbabane.
With Sabelo Ndzinisa gone to Green Mamba, the responsibility to score goals was squarely on Lekata, who played for AmaZulu in the 2012/13 season.
However, the Free State-born striker, Lekata, had a bereavement at home last week and had to bury his brother in Wesselbron [Free State]. The drive from Wesselbron to Mbabane is nothing less than seven hours.
Mosala has since revealed that the 35-year-old forward drove through the night to start the Royal AM tie.
“After the funeral, you bury your brother [and still travel]. I take my hat off for him [Lekata]. He sacrificed a lot to be there. Imagine your own brother. It was a touching thing,” Mosala told FARPost.
With fans calling for Lekata’s substitution during the Royal AM game that ended goalless, the South African coach defended him.
“They [fans] don’t know we have limitations with the numbers. The situation was that we didn’t have the numbers,” he added.
He revealed that one of his attacking players who was injured has recovered. Sabelo Gamedze is available for Friday’s return leg at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Mosala said they knew they would experience problems throughout the first leg, but his charges were prepared for the challenge.
“I was well-prepared because I know Royal AM’s mentality. I know Dan [Malesela], Khabo [Zondo] and Abram [Nteo]. They don’t know me because I was not the head coach [in South African teams],” said Mosala, who helped promote Pretoria Callies to the second tier.
He is aware that in the return leg, there must be a winner.
