5 reasons Lesotho can thrive at COSAFA Cup

Cheers on the way? Cosafa 2016 is around the corner for Likuena

There are only two weeks to go until Lesotho kicks off its 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup campaign against Mauritius on June 12. Likuena interim coach Moses Maliehe has picked a young and exciting squad for the tournament with hopes of progressing past the first round.

The winner of Group (Lesotho, Angola, Malawi and Mauritius) will advance to meet South Africa in the quarterfinals. Here are five reasons Likuena can head into the tournament with confidence.

Improving team

The Lesotho team has improved since Maliehe took over last November. Likuena claimed their first international win in a year when they beat Seychelles 2-1 in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Setsoto Stadium in March and the team played well in last weekend’s 2-1 loss away to Botswana where they were denied a win by late second half goals.

These are positives to take from the first few games of Maliehe’s reign in terms of the style of play and team cohesion.

The mood also appears to better inside the camp and perhaps credit here also goes to Maliehe in that he appears to have a clear plan. Whereas the previous selection policy under Seephephe Matete appeared haphazard at times, Maliehe, at least, looks to have a strategy. The majority of the players Maliehe has picked are players he worked with at Under-20 level as assistant coach to Leslie Notši in 2010 and 2011 and later as the coach of the team.

There have been better preparations as well. Likuena have been in training since Maliehe called a 24-man preliminary squad at the beginning of April and the team seems better set than before last year’s tournament in South Africa.

Man on form... Tumelo Khutlang 

Players on form

Players such as Jane Thaba-Ntšo, Motebang Sera, Hlompho Kalake, Tumelo Khutlang and Jeremea Kamela are coming off brilliant individual campaigns. Thaba-Ntšo has been going strong for two seasons now but the 2015/16 campaign was particularly sublime for the attacking midfielder as he inspired Matlama to within a point of winning the league title. For teammate Sera, this past season was a breakout campaign as the striker won the league’s golden boot award.

Bantu’s Hlompho Kalake was also outstanding and so was Lioli’s Tumelo Khutlang while Jeremea Kamela is the unanimous choice as Lesotho’s player of the season for 2015/16 after his match-winning displays for Lioli.

A further look at the squad also shows several players that finished the season strongly and are rounding into peak form in time for the COSAFA Cup. This list includes Montoeli Sonopo, Phafa Tšosane, Mabuti Potloane, Thabo Seakhoa and Tšepo Seturumane who for varying reasons were not at their best at the start of the season but started hitting their straps in 2016.

Having players in top form is crucial for team dynamics and confidence, and Maliehe has this luxury at his disposal.

Experience on the international stage

Experience on the international stage... Mafa Moremoholo

Despite the young age of the team, many of the players are quite experienced on the international stage. Basia Makepe, Kopano Tseka, Moremoholo Montoeli Sonopo and Jeremea Kamela were all part of the Under-20 team that qualified for the CAF African U-20 Championship in 2011. And, having been Likuena regulars since graduating, they have six years of competing in pressure situations on the international stage.

Makepe and Kamela, for example, were key members of the Lesotho team that reached the semi-finals of the 2013 tournament. Players such as Sepiriti Malefane, Mafa Moremoholo, Kalake, Thaba-Ntšo and Bokang Sello meanwhile were part of Lesotho’s team at the 2013 COSAFA Under-20 tournament and the Under-20 continent qualifiers that year. This means although it is young, the Likuena team should not be overawed at the COSAFA Castle Cup.

Free spirits

Tied to the above point, also because of their young age, several of the players in the squad are not scarred by previous disappointments on the senior international stage. All they want to do is perform their best in what will be their highest level of competition so far. Winger Seakhoa, who made his full debut last Saturday, is one such example.

Matlama’s Thaba-Ntšo, who was the player of the season according to some, is another who is not burdened by previous failures and will be looking out to showcase his talents on the big stage. There are other such examples in the squad (Sera, Malefane, Khutlang and Kalake, for example) and this bodes well for Likuena.

Strong defence

Defensive lynchpin? Sepiriti Malefane (right)

Likuena’s strength has been the defence in recent years and that is expected to continue in Namibia. The defensive unit is built on the core of Lioli with captain Basia Makepe expected to be partnered by club-mate Kopano Tseka in central with Liteboho Mokhehle in goals and Bokang Sello at leftback. Rightback options Sepiriti Malefane and Mafa Moremoholo are also coming off strong campaigns.

Despite Lesotho’s struggles to win games, the defence has generally been a strong part of the team and Makepe has been a constant at the back over the past two. He will be under pressure to perform again but the form and familiarity of his defensive partners should help.

Lesotho’s Results Since 2015

Date	Competition	Home	Score	Away
25/03/15	Friendly	Botswana	2-0	Lesotho
14/05/15	Friendly	Lesotho	0-0	South Africa
18/05/15	Cosafa Cup	Lesotho	1-2	Madagascar
20/05/15	Cosafa Cup	Lesotho	0-2	Swaziland
22/05/15	Cosafa Cup	Lesotho	1-0	Tanzania
14/06/15	2017 AFCON qualifier	Ethiopia	2-1	Lesotho
21/06/15	2017 CHAN qualifier	Lesotho	0-0	Botswana
04/07/15	2017 CHAN qualifier	Botswana	1-1	Lesotho
06/09/15	2017 AFCON qualifier	Lesotho	1-3	Algeria
07/10/15	2018 World Cup qualifier	Comoros	0-0	Lesotho
13/10/15	2018 World Cup qualifier	Lesotho	1-1	Comoros
18/10/15	2017 CHAN qualifier	Zimbabwe	3-1	Lesotho
25/10/15	2017 CHAN qualifier	Lesotho	1-1	Zimbabwe
26/03/16	2017 AFCON qualifier	Seychelles	2-0	Lesotho
29/03/16	2017 AFCON qualifier	Lesotho	2-1	Seychelles
21/05/16	Friendly	Botswana	2-1	Lesotho

Likuena Squad

Goalkeepers: Daniel Jousse (LCS), Liteboho Mokhehle (Lioli)

Defenders: Nketsi Rankhasa (Matlama), Basia Makepe (captain) (Lioli), Kopano Tseka (Lioli), Mafa Moremoholo (Lioli), Sepiriti Malefane (Bantu), Bokang Sello (Lioli)

Midfielders: Montoeli Sonopo (Lioli), Phafa Tšosane (Matlama), Hlompho Kalake (Bantu), Kefuoe Mahula (Matlama),  Tumelo Khutlang (Lioli),  Jane Thaba-Ntšo (Matlama),  Mabuti Potloane (Matlama)  Jeremea Kamela (Lioli), Thabo Seakhoa (LCS)

Strikers: Tšepo Seturumane (LMPS), Motebang Sera (Matlama)