2012 Africa Cup of Nations Draw

Afcon favourites?...
Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba

Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts Equatorial Guinea and Gabon were both given tough tasks in Saturday’s draw for next year’s finals. Equatorial Guinea, who will be making their first ever appearance at the showpiece of African football, were seeded into Group A which will play its matches in Bata.

Also in the group are Libya – who will contest the opening match against Equatorial Guinea on January 21 – Senegal and Zambia.

Co-hosts Gabon, who will play their Group C games in Libreville, were drawn against Niger, who are making their first appearance at the finals, as well as North African rivals Tunisia and Morocco.

Favourites Ivory Coast were drawn into Group B. It will be played in the capital of Equatorial Guinea, Malabo. There the Elephants will face Sudan, as well as Burkina Faso and Angola.

The second group to be played in Gabon – Group D – will be played in Franceville. It sees Ghana as the top seed and the Black Stars will be joined by Guinea, Mali and Africa Cup of Nations debutants Botswana.

2012 Africa Cup of Nations draw

Group A: Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Senegal, Zambia
Group B: Ivory Coast, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Angola
Group C: Gabon, Niger, Morocco, Tunisia
Group D: Ghana, Botswana, Mali, Guinea

Nigeria sack Samson Siasia

Samson Siasia

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has fired national coach Samson Siasia after the Super Eagles failure to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

The tournament will take place in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea next January.

At the end of the day Siasia spent less than a year in the job. Siasia had seemed to have breathed new life into the Super Eagles with the team producing some eye-catching attacking play after their dour 2010 World Cup campaign. But in the eyes of the NFF, Siasia failed when it mattered most. Earlier this month Nigeria drew 2-2 with Guinea in Abuja in the final round of Afcon qualifying, a result which meant Guinea snatched the group’s 2012 Afcon ticket. 

Siasia’s time as coach was also noted for a couple of high-profile fallouts with star players Peter Odemwingie, Vincent Enyeama and John Mikel Obi, as he tried to instil discipline in his team.

It is not yet known who will replace Siasia as coach of the Super Eagles. But former captains Stephen Keshi and Sunday Oliseh have been tipped for the job while there are also rumours the NFF will one again opt for a foreign coach from Europe.

Likuena squad for Namibia and DRC

Likuena squad

Goalkeepers: Phoka Matete (Linare), Mohau Kuenane (Lioli)

Defenders: Likano Teele, Tlali Thabiso Maile (both Bantu), Nkau Lerotholi, Thapelo Mokhehle (both Matlama), Kopano Tseka (Lerotholi), Moitheri Ntobo (LCS), Thabo Masualle (Lioli)

Midfielders: Motlalepula Mofolo (Lioli), Tšoanelo Koetle, Pali Tšalong (Matlama), Ralekoti Mokhahlane (LCS), Mosiuoa Boseka (Bantu), Tšeliso Sejake (Likhopo), Katleho Moleko (Cape Town Santos, South Africa)

Forwards: Lawrence Molengoane (LCS), Dlomo Monapathi (Matlama), Thulo Ranchobe (LCS), Sello ‘Muso (Lioli)

Likuena unchanged for Namibia and DRC

Likuena will travel to Namibia with an unchanged squad. Lesotho plays Namibia in Windhoek on Monday in a friendly international.

Likuena will then face another stiff test against the Democratic Republic of Congo next Sunday in Pretoria.

Likuena rightback Salebone Lekhooa (left)

Both matches are preparation for the 2014 Fifa World Cup preliminary qualifier against Burundi early next month. Likuena face Burundi in a two-legged affair on November 11 and November 15. The winners will make it through to the group stage of qualifying where Ghana, Zambia and Sudan wait.

The squad chosen by Likuena coach Leslie Notši is made up of locally based players. Notši has resisted the temptation to tinker with the 23-man squad preferring to stick with the same group of players that were involved in Likuena’s impressive 2-1 win over Botswana in Gaborone early last month.

Lesotho’s foreign based players will only come into contention for selection after the DRC match. That is because the two friendly games against Namibia and the DRC fall outside Fifa dates.

Those who will come into contention include Tunisia based Bokang Mothoana, Botswana based trio of Bushy Moletsane, Lehlomela Ramabele and Litšepe Marabe, and Thapelo Tale who has found his scoring boots with FK Srem in Serbia.

Likuena are now in fulltime camp at the Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena leading up to the clash with Burundi.

Montoeli Sonopo

The first leg against Burundi will be played at the Setsoto Stadium on the evening of Friday November 11 before the return match in Bujumbura four days later.

Likuena squad

Goalkeepers: Kananelo Makhooane (Likhopo), Phoka Matete (Linare), Mohau Kuenane (Lioli)

Defenders: Thapelo Mokhehle, Nkau Lerotholi (both Matlama), Moitheri Ntobo (LCS), Kopano Tseka, Motiki Mohale (Lerotholi), Thabo Masualle (Lioli), Likano Teele, Thabiso Maile (both Bantu), Salebone Lekhooa (Likhopo)

Midfielders: Motlalepula Mofolo, Montoeli Sonopo (both Lioli), Tšoanelo Koetle (Matlama), Ralekoti Mokhahlane (LCS), Tsebang Lebata, Tšeliso Sejake (both Likhopo), Mosiuoa Boseka (Bantu)

Strikers: Dlomo Monapathi (Matlama), Sello ‘Muso (Lioli), Mojela Letsie (LDF), Thulo Ranchobe (LCS)

Lesotho Premier League: Log Standings

Vodacom Premier League table

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	LDF	5	3	2	0	10	4	6	11
2	Joy	6	3	2	1	6	3	3	11
3	LCS	5	3	1	1	9	3	6	10
4	Maduma	5	3	1	1	8	5	3	10
5	LMPS	5	2	3	0	6	4	2	9
6	Bantu	5	2	2	1	7	5	2	8
7	Lioli	6	2	2	2	6	5	1	8
8	Mpharane Celtics	6	2	1	3	8	12	-4	7
9	Matlama	5	1	1	3	7	10	-3	4
10	Linare	5	1	1	3	2	8	-6	4
11	Majantja	6	0	3	3	4	8	-4	3
12	Likhopo	5	0	1	4	0	6	-6	1