By Ebueb Dike

Ahead of March 30^th 2020 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the Lesotho Football Association, LeFA has announced an immediate suspension of football activities in the Mountain Kingdom due to the surging number of reported COVID-19 cases.

Top-flight clubs made a return to action on December 12 following seven months lay-off brought by the pandemic. The return to action was boosted by the announcement of Vodacom as the new sponsors of the Lesotho Premier League in a deal worth R8.5-million.

The Premier League was expected to resume this weekend following a short Christmas break, where defending champions Bantu were tied on 12 points with Matlama at the top of the table with both teams having won their opening four games of the new campaign.

The Women’s Super League, as well as the A Division League were also scheduled to get underway this month.

“The NEC of LeFA, in consultation with and on recommendations of the PLMC, ADMACO, B and C Management, and the Women Super League Management, has resolved to suspend all league games and group training sessions with effect from Tuesday 05th January 2021, for an initial period of two weeks,” the statement said.

“The duration of this suspension will be reviewed from time to time by the NEC in consultation with NACOSEC and all parties concerned.

“This emergency decision has been necessitated by the sweeping resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lesotho and the world over, which is claiming many lives on daily basis.”

Nigeria currently leads Group L in the qualifying race with 8 points closely followed by Sierra Leone on 7 point.

The two best teams in the group will qualify for the 2021 Arica Cup of Nations in Cameroon next year