Maseru — Lesotho Defence Force football club became the only club that will represent the country in the CAF Cup Winners Cup after pipping Lerotholi Polytechnic 1-0 in a closely contested Independence Cup last Sunday.

In a final characterised by high, but good spirit, the army team squeezed through to snatch the cup after handing Linare a 4-0 hiding on Saturday, making them the favorites to defend the cup which they won in their last year's cup double. But the army team looked no threat to Lihale, as Lerotholi Polytechnic is popularly known, when they failed to play as a unit in the first half.

Lihale looked prepared to stop the army boys from shooting as they kept possession of the game. More precisely, their moves were more fluent and they had the spark, which presumably, was generated by drunk and violent students who showered reporters and other fans with a substantial amount of beer.

Bad behaved students kept throwing missiles into the pitch whenever the referee ruled against their team.

Lihale's captain, Ntsu-kunyane Ramaqabe, showed LDF and Likoena's coach, Mafa Ramakau, he needs a call when he mesmerised the soldiers' defence with his fine skills. The former Linare mid-fielder caused havoc upfront as the youthful Lerotholi tried to bury the soldiers alive.

But if there was a prize for the most threatening striker, Thabang Busa could have grabbed it. The pacy Under-17 star needed tough men to give a close look as he used both his skills and pace to trouble defenders.

But skinny Thapelo Molefi lubricated LDF's right hand side and initiated the kind of moves any coach would have opted for. He went down the right flank and crossed the ball after going past two Lihale players, only for Dony Ntakha's side-netting efforts inside the box turned his move sour early in the first half.

Ntakha was this time switched from his usual right-back position to make up the twin-strike department with Majara Masupha who looked normal and out of focus. Motheo Mohapi and Malefe-tsane Pheko pillared the soldiers' midfield but the supply was not threatening as Lihale kept pushing forward. An entertaining first half ended with both teams rolling their zeros to the dressing rooms.

The second half saw Ramakau making a double substitution when Teboho Lekha- fola and Tsepo Keketsi replaced Motheo Mohapi and Ranchobe respectively, causing Lihale to change their game plan.

Motlatsi Maseela, who played the first half as a central defender, switched to the left flank to help strengthen the strike force while Lebajoa Ramaokane, Joel Letsoela, Ronald Sekatana and Selebalo Ntholi manned Lihale's defence.

Lady luck shunned LDF when Masupha's header went wide in the 71st minute after timely connecting Pheko's free kick.

Ntakha broke the deadlock when he easily tapped in Keketsi's cross after a hardly fought possession. A few hundreds of LDF's diehearts could then be seen dancing in the stands.

Ramaoko Pitso came on for Ramaqabe in the 74th minute. The game gave birth to a robust character, as Lihale wanted a goal at all costs as time was ticking off. The first victim of the robust game was Seth Lephoto who was replaced by Makhetha Kolisang in the 83rd minute. Lihale's Chobokoane Masilo replaced Lebetsa Lebakeng six minutes before full time.

Lerotholi players should blame themselves for not taking the game to the extra time when they missed the glorious opportunity of the game just two minutes before the final whistle.

The soldiers also dominated the awards recipients when Malefetsane Pheko snatched the best player of the tournament prize. Tseliso Mafatlane, the soldier's goal minder, was nominated the best goalkeeper. He did not concede a goal in the tournament. Dony Nthakha was among three players who shared the prize for the leading goal scorers. The trio was Ntakha, Lesotho Prisons Service's Khamanyane Mohanoe, and Linare's Linare Ntepe. They scored two goals each. The prizes were M1 000 for each category.

Speaking after game, LDF coach, Mafa Ramakau admitted his team needed to be reinforced as it will be a tough out in the African competitions. "Our team needs new players and it is difficult to have them as they have to go through proper military training," he said.

LDF won M12,500 in prize money and a floating trophy. Second came Lerotholi Polytechnic who narrowly beat LPS 1-0 on Saturday for the winners final to win M11,500. Linare came third after beating LPS 4-3 in a third and fourth place play-off match characterized by avalanche of goals. Linare went away with M10, 500, while the new Lesotho Premier League Champions LPS came out last after failing to register a win in the tournament. They got M8 500.