Seabata Mahao
The national team Likuena will feature a youthful squad for the 2023 Hollywoodbets Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup.
This is after Likuena coach, Veselin Jelusic, has included several youngsters and uncapped players in his provisional squad for the tournament scheduled for Durban, South Africa from July 5-16 this year.
The draw for the competition has pitted Likuena alongside Angola, Mozambique and Mauritius in Group C.
The provisional squad includes several youngsters still in their early twenties, with some uncapped such as Linare FC duo of ‘Melere Lebetsa and Koenehelo Mothala as well as LCS FC’s Mosoeu Seahlolo and Mohlomi Makhetha.
Ngaka Lenka from Swallows FC, Bantu FC utility player Leluma Phosholi and Mokoteli Mohapi from Lioli FC, are other young members of the provisional squad to represent the national team for the first time.
Reacting to the COSAFA draw, Jelusic said there was hope for Likuena with the inclusion of youngsters in his squad.
“We respect all opponents equally and we will try to provide good games and achieve the best possible results. But above all, we will try to give a chance to some younger players,†he said.
“We hope that they will take advantage of this opportunity to become regular players for the national team in future, and perhaps draw the attention of professional teams outside Lesotho,†he added.
The regional body, COSAFA, announced at its AGM on Friday, last week that Hollywoodbets returns as the title sponsor of the COSAFA Cup as well as the upcoming 2023 COSAFA Women’s Championship and the 2023 COSAFA Women’s Champions League.
Moreover, Likuena has started camp for its preparation of Comoros in the AFCON 2023 Qualifiers match six and COSAFA 2023.
Following the completion of the A-Division and Premier League season, the provisional squad made of local based players is now training six days a week as they look for improvements ahead of the upcoming coaches.
Likuena is scheduled to face Comoros on June 17 at Orlando Stadium in the AFCON Qualifiers which will be followed by the COSAFA Cup.
The President of Lesotho Football Association (LeFA), Advocate Salemane Phafane, stated that the matches that Likuena is going to play were very important and they should do their best to win them.
“Our hope is that, the upcoming 2023 AFCON match against Comoros, scheduled for June 17, 2023 would be the last that Likuena have to host on foreign soil,†Phafane said.
