Moses Maliehe: I warned my players about Uganda attack

Uganda right winger Emmanuel Okwi gave Jane Thaba-Ntšo a torrid time
in the Cranes 3-0 win over Likuena on Saturday...

Lesotho coach Moses Maliehe says he warned his side of the threat posed by Uganda before Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to the Cranes in Namboole.

The loss has left Likuena in a precarious position in Group L of 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.

At the halfway mark Lesotho is third in the group with two points from three games behind second placed Cape Verde (four points) and leaders Uganda (seven points).

It means Likuena have to beat Uganda this evening in Maseru to get back in the race to reach next June’s finals in Cameroon. The top two sides in the group will qualify for the 2019 AFCON.

Maliehe said he warned his players after watching Cape Verde beat Tanzania 3-0 last Friday evening in the group’s other game. Maliehe said he advised his team Cape Verde’s decisive win would inspire Uganda to come all guns blazing against Likuena at the Mandela National Stadium.

“I told them that Cape Verde beat Tanzania by many goals on Friday and that Uganda would come attacking very hard. I was trying to make them aware of the situation that happened (to us),” Maliehe said

Despite several half chances, Likuena were on the back foot for much of Saturday’s game.

Most of the damage came down Lesotho’s left flank where Maliehe selected Jane Thaba-Ntšo (normally a winger) as a makeshift leftback. Cranes right winger Emmanuel Okwi ran riot in the first half in particular scoring the opener and then masterminding a penalty from which Farouk Miya scored to make it 2-0.

Maliehe made two changes at halftime bringing on Kopano Tseka (a more natural defender) for Thaba-Ntšo. He also introduced Nkoto Masoabi for Mabuti Potloane to support Motebang Sera upfront.

The changes didn’t improve Likuena’s defending, however. Okwi scored a third midway through the second half to seal a comprehensive 3-0 win for Uganda.

“We didn’t play well in the first half,” Maliehe said.

“In the second, we tried to come up with a second striker to push (Uganda) back as we searched for something but that happened for only ten minutes and then from there, Uganda was on top of us. They have a good team and I would like to congratulate them for beating us.”

Likuena host Uganda at Setsoto this evening. Kick-off is at 18:00. In the other Group L game, Tanzania host Cape Verde.

Group L standings:

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts.
1	Uganda	3	2	1	0	4	0	4	7
2	Cape Verde	3	1	1	1	4	2	2	4
3	Lesotho	3	0	2	1	2	5	-3	2
4	Tanzania	3	0	2	1	1	4	-3	2

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 3-0 Lesotho Lesotho v Uganda Lesotho v Tanzania Cape Verde v Lesotho