A crucial four days for Lesotho on the road to AFCON 2019

It's a big few days for Tumelo Khutlang and his Likuena teammates...

Lesotho faces a pivotal 2019 Africa Cup of Nations double header against Uganda over the coming days.

The first game is on Saturday at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Namboole, Kampala with the return fixture next Tuesday at Setsoto Stadium.

Uganda with 4 points and Lesotho (2 points) are the top two sides in Group L of AFCON 2019 qualifying after two games.

Likuena began their campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Tanzania in last June before another 1-1 stalemate with Cape Verde at Setsoto two weeks ago.

The other two teams in the group, Cape Verde and Tanzania, will also faceoff in a double header with Tanzania travelling away first.

Likuena sitting in a good position…

Group L standings:

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts.
1	Uganda	2	1	1	0	1	0	1	4
2	Lesotho	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
3	Tanzania	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
4	Cape Verde	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1

Likuena are in a good position in Group L, in fact, this is Lesotho’s best chance to qualify for the AFCON.

For the first time ever, the AFCON has been expanded to 24 teams from 16 which means two sides from each of the 12 qualifying groups will qualify for Cameroon 2019 (instead of one as was the case before).

Lesotho currently sits in those top two spots and so this is a crucial few days for Moses Maliehe’s side. Preferably, Likuena would like to record a win in one of the two games against Uganda after starting the campaign with two draws.

However, even two draws against Uganda may be enough given that the Cranes are the favourites in Group L.

Four points going into the last two group games would still give Likuena enough control of their own destiny.

Group L is so evenly matched that it is unlikely there will be a winner of both games in the group’s other double header between Tanzania and Cape Verde (it is unlikely either Tanzania or Cape Verde will come away with six points).

What is important for Likuena is they still find themselves in a position to qualify for next year’s AFCON finals when the final two qualifiers come around, against Tanzania in November and Cape Verde next March.

Football changes very fast.

Right now the seas are calm and the road seems far with four group matches to go. However, by this time next week Lesotho will only have two games to play in the group. It is important things don’t get away from Likuena over the next two games against Uganda.

Which team will start?

Likuena Squad: Goalkeepers: Samuel Khetsekile (LCS), Likano Mphuthi (LDF), Mohau Kuenane (free agent) Defenders: Kopano Tseka (Lioli), Mafa Moremoholo (Lioli), Nkau Lerotholi (LMPS), Basia Makepe (LMPS) Midfielders: Tšepo Toloane (LDF), Tshwarelo Bereng (Black Leopards, SA), Tšotleho Jane (free agent), Hlompho Kalake (Bantu), Mabuti Potloane (Matlama), Tumelo Khutlang (Black Leopards, SA), Jane Thaba-Ntšo (Matlama) Strikers: Masoabi Nkoto (Real Kings, SA), Motebang Sera (Matlama), Setho Moshoeshoe (LCS)

The only certainty for Saturday’s game in Namboole is Bantu defender Bokang Sello will miss out through suspension meaning Lesotho goes into the game without a natural leftback.

Maliehe was hit with an added blow because of the absence of Lesia Thetsane who is playing in United States college football for Columbia College and is unavailable due to academic commitments.

Thetsane was Lesotho’s first choice leftback during the team’s run to third place at the COSAFA Cup in July but also missed last month’s draw with Cape Verde.

It leaves Maliehe with two options; one, Kopano Tseka could come into the defence at rightback with captain Mafa Moremoholo shifting to leftback or, two, Jane Thaba-Ntšo (normally a winger) will fill in on the left side of defence.

Shifting Moremoholo to leftback is not a big problem in itself because he has featured there numerous times in the past for Likuena and at club level for Lioli.

The other two parts of the equation are slightly more worrisome, however. Tseka has yet to hit peak form this season because niggling injuries and is not a natural fullback. Centreback is very much Tseka’s preferred position.

Thaba-Ntšo, similarly, has limited experience of playing in defence and is an attacking player by nature. This wouldn’t be as much of a problem in a home tie but, away from home, Likuena’s chances will depend a lot on having defensive solidity in order to allow the side’s pacey forwards such as Tumelo Khutlang and Motebang Sera to steal chances on the break.

Kopano Tseka could be drafted into Likuena's defence...

Maliehe will also have to find a replacement for Luciano Matsoso after the winger suffered an injury during a midweek friendly against Free State Stars.

The rest of the team picks itself.

Likano Mphuthi will start in goals with LMPS teammates Basia Makepe and Nkau Lerotholi marshalling the defence. Tšepo Toloane and Tshwarelo Bereng will reprise their combination in midfield with Khutlang on one wing and Nkoto Masoabi likely leading the frontline from the start.

Expectations?

Uganda qualified for the last AFCON in 2017 in Gabon. The Cranes are top of Group L and remain favourites to win the group. A draw in Kampala, therefore, would be a good result for Likuena.

Firstly, it would keep Likuena’s hopes alive and it would also pile pressure on Uganda. Uganda are winless in four matches (with two losses and two draws) and failure to win in front of their home fans would keep the Cranes stuck in neutral. That would perfect for Likuena heading into Tuesday’s game.

Uganda’s last four games:
27-03-18	Uganda	0-0	Malawi	D
30-05-18	Central Africa Republic	1-0	Uganda	L
02-06-18	Niger	2-1	Uganda	L
08-09-18	Uganda	0-0	Tanzania	D

Previous meetings, Likuena v Uganda:
02 September 2006	Uganda 3-0 Lesotho	2008 AFCON qualifier
16 June 2007	Lesotho 0-0 Uganda	2008 AFCON qualifier

“We have been preparing for this match since the Cape Verde game,” Likuena coach Moses Maliehe said.

“The motivation for the game in Uganda will be that we always do well in away games and we have to maintain those standards.”

Lesotho’s AFCON 2019 qualifiers:
11 June 2017 09 September 2018 13 October 2018 16 October 2018 16 November 2018 22 March 2019	Tanzania 1-1 Lesotho Lesotho 1-1 Cape Verde Uganda v Lesotho Lesotho v Uganda Lesotho v Tanzania Cape Verde v Lesotho