Seabata Mahao
The senior national football team, Likuena, will host Namibia in a crucial first-round match of the COSAFA regional qualification for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) tomorrow in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
A draw, which took place last month at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, set the stage for a two-legged tie between the teams, with the winner advancing to the next round.
The first leg will kick off at 18:00 Central African Time (CAT) at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, while the second leg is scheduled for early November in Namibia.
The match is pivotal for Lesotho, as they aim to qualify for the CHAN tournament for the first time in their history. Unlike other international competitions, CHAN is unique in that it features only players who compete in their domestic leagues, excluding overseas-based players.
The tournament will be held across Kenya, Tanzania,andUgandafromFebruary 1 to 28, 2025.
After a challenging African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign, Likuena, under head coach Leslie Notši, are determined to turn things around.
Despite recent setbacks, Notši remains optimistic, attributing his confidence to the fact that domestic leagues, where most of his players compete, are already underway.
“We have been monitoring several players in their respective clubs, particularly those showing promise in front of goal. Our main challenge has been goal-scoring, and since CHAN is a knockout competition that relies on scoring goals, we are focused on finding players who can deliver in that area,” Notši said.
“We have addressed this with the players and have been running drills specifically aimed at improving finishing since the beginning of the camp. We believe we have a strong chance against Namibia. We recently played a friendly match that ended in a draw, and they narrowly beat us in the COSAFA tournament.”
Notši also mentioned a conversation with Namibia’s coach, who admitted that their advantage was more due to physical play rather than tactical superiority.
“Namibia’s coach acknowledged that they overpowered us physically but praised our strategic approach,” Notši said.
The coach has been working closely with his squad over the past week, preparing them for the challenge ahead. He noted that while they tried to bring in younger players like Paseka Maile, there was added pressure after the Under-20 team’s struggles in the AFCON qualifiers.
As a result, they had to carefully select a balanced squad for Likuena’s upcoming matches.
The tickets for the Likuena vs Namibia match went on sale on Wednesday this week, and Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) has advised fans in both Lesotho and South Africa to purchase their tickets from Shoprite outlets ahead of the game.
“Supporters traveling from Lesotho are encouraged to buy their tickets before leaving for Bloemfontein,” said LeFA in a statement.
The association has also reached an agreement with the Premier League Management Committee (PLMC) to reschedule Lesotho Premier League matches on Saturday to 13:00 hoursin order to allow fans to attend both local and international matches.
The final squad include; Goalkeepers, Tankiso Chaba from LCS Football Club (FC), LelumaMofoka (Matlama FC), and Ntsane Molise (Linare FC).
Defenders, Mpho Hlephole (Lioli FC), Rethabile Mokokoane (Matlama FC), Rethabile Rasethuntša (Linare FC), Mohlomi Makhetha (LCS FC), Thabo Mafatle (Bantu FC), Leluma Phosholi (Lioli FC), Thabo Matšoele (Linare FC), and Mokhele Molise (LDF FC).
The midfielders are Jerry Kamela (Lioli FC), Lehlohonolo Fothoane (Bantu FC), Hlompho Kalake (Bantu FC), Paseka Maile (Kick4Life Juventude FC), TšepoToloane (LDF FC), Lehlohonolo Matsau (LDF FC), Khubetsoana Kamele, and Lisema Lebokollane (Matlama FC).
The forwards include Teboho Mosuoane (Lioli FC), Lemohang Lintša (Limkokwing University FC), Tšeliso Botsane (Bantu FC), and Katleho Makateng (LDF FC).
