 |
| Big Sunday for Lesotho |
Lesotho begins its 2017 Africa Cup of Nations
(AFCON) qualifying campaign on Sunday with a game away to Ethiopia.
It is the next stage of a busy year for
Likuena.
Next Friday Lesotho hosts Botswana in
the first leg of a 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier.
Sunday’s game also represents a critical
juncture.
The team is coming off a disappointing
COSAFA Cup campaign where Likuena took several steps backwards. Lesotho was
knocked out in the group stage of the tournament and did not cover itself in glory.
Likuena meekly lost 2-1 to Madagascar and 2-0 to Swaziland before beating
Tanzania 1-0 in a dead rubber game.
The team’s display raised numerous
concerns which caretaker coach Seephephe Matete has sought to allay but making
five changes to his squad.
But, the evidence from the COSAFA Cup
suggests Likuena’s problems are deeper than personnel.
Whether Matete was using the tournament
as testing ground has not been clarified but the line-ups he selected were not
cohesive and made little sense.
Worryingly, there was a lack of
direction and further evidence Lesotho has fallen away from the stable, if unspectacular,
base Leslie Notši established in his three years in charge from 2011 to early 2014.
Under Notši, Likuena made steady yearly progress
which culminated in the team’s run to the COSAFA Cup semi-finals in 2013. That performance
was the result of consistency in style and squad selection, and there was still
promise for improvement.
On the back of that momentum Lesotho
progressed past Liberia and Kenya last year to make the group stage qualifiers
for the 2015 AFCON. Matete was in charge by then but those were the last signs
of progression.
While fans were not expecting miracles
from a tough group that included Gabon, Burkina Faso and Angola, Lesotho’s
campaign was poor. After a 1-1 draw with Gabon at the start of the group,
Likuena’s displays petered out badly.
The team’s lack of purpose was carried
into the COSAFA Cup.
An example was the deployment of Tšoanelo
Koetle at right-back to start the tournament. As soon as he was moved to his
preferred position in midfield he was the team’s top performer. Why was Koetle
used at fullback? What was the long-term plan?
Koetle was likely pushed into the role
because the squad was short on defenders to start with.
Unfortunately it seems the same mistakes
are being repeated.
Koetle has once again been selected
amongst the defence, a group of only five players. There are only two
recognised centre-backs in the squad, Nkau Lerotholi and Motiki Mohale. Mohale,
however, has been campaigning in the first division with Lerotholi Polytechnic.
He’s new to the senior set-up and seems unlikely to start on Sunday.
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| Likuena midfielder Mabuti Potloane |
It means Matete is planning to have Thapelo
Mokhehle, a left-back by trade, partner Lerotholi in central defence.
The lack of a recognised right-back in
the squad may mean Koetle plays there again, robbing the side of his presence
in the critical central midfield area. The only other option is to play Thabiso
Mohapi at right-back, but he has been listed in the midfielders group.
It is this type of confusion that has
characterised Likuena over the past seven months and fails to inspire
confidence.
At least Matete has recalled the
prolific Litšepe Marabe after leaving him out of the COSAFA Cup squad.
Still, Likuena’s squad looks light-weight
and feels completely different from the way it was a year ago.
What the public wants to see is how the
coach picks his team on Sunday. What ideas Matete has; which direction he has
in mind; a plan.
That may be even more important than the
result on Sunday because right now Lesotho is drifting backwards.
Lesotho Squad
Goalkeepers:
Mohau Kuenane (Lioli), Kananelo Makhooane (Likhopo)
Defenders:
Tšoanelo Koetle (Lioli), Thapelo Mokhehle (Bantu) Nkau Lerotholi (Matlama), Jeremia
Kamela (Lioli), Motiki Mohale (Lerotholi Polytechnic)
Midfielders:
Bokang Mothoana (Likhopo), Hlompho Kalake (Bantu), Motlalepula Mofolo (Lioli),
Mabuti Potloane (Matlama), Jane ThabaNtšo (Matlama), Teboho Lekhooa (Matlama),
Thabiso Mohapi (Bantu), Bushy Moletsane (Lioli)
Strikers:
Thabiso Brown (Kick4Life), Tumelo Khutlang (Sundawana), Nkoto Masoabi (Lioli)
Litšepe Marabe (Bantu)
FIFA Rankings
Rank
|
Country
|
Points
|
119
|
Zimbabwe
|
238
|
121
|
Syria
|
234
|
122
|
Lesotho
|
226
|
123
|
Kenya
|
220
|
124
|
Moldova
|
219
|
Ethiopia v Lesotho
14 June 2015 -
16:00 (Ethiopia time)
AFCON Qualifier
Addis Ababa
Stadium
Addis Ababa
