2018 FIFA World Cup draw

Lesotho scheduled to face Ghana,
if Likuena beat Comoros Islands

The road to Russia 2018 for African countries is now known. On Saturday, FIFA held its 2018 World Cup draw in St Petersburg and the race to reach the showpiece will kick-off in earnest in October.

The qualifying stages have been divided into three phases with the lowest ranked countries on the continent to begin the preliminary stage of qualifying from October 5 to 13. The winners will then join the 27 highest ranked teams in Africa in a home and away knockout phase.

The third and final phase is a round robin stage.

The winners of the knockout ties will be paired into five groups consisting of four countries each and will face each other in a home and away ties from October 3, 2016 to November 14, 2017. The five group winners will automatically qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Now ranked 131 in the world, Lesotho will start its campaign in the preliminary phase. Likuena will face the Comoros Islands. If Lesotho progresses, the daunting task of Ghana awaits.

In other draw highlights, 2010 World Cup host South Africa was handed a tough draw with a second round clash against Angola. Elsewhere, African champions Ivory Coast will face the winner between Liberia and Guinea Bissau while Nigeria will meet either Djibouti or Swaziland for the right to contest the final phase of qualifying.

Full second round 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying draw for Africa:

Cameroon v Somalia/ Niger

Tunisia v Sudan/Mauritania

Guinea v Gambia/Namibia

Congo v São Tomé and Príncipe/ Ethiopia

Egypt v Chad/ Sierra Leone

Ghana v Comoro/Lesotho

Nigeria v Djibouti/Swaziland

Mali v Eritrea/Botswana

DR Congo v Seychelles/Burundi

Cote d'Ivoire v Guinea-Bissau/Liberia

Senegal v CAR/Madagascar

Cape Verde v Mauritius / Kenya

Algeria v Tanzania / Malawi

Sudan v Zambia

Libya v Rwanda

Morocco v Equatorial Guinea

Mozambique v Gabon

Benin v Burkina Faso

Togo v Uganda

Angola v South Africa

2015-16 Vodacom Premier League First Round Fixtures

2015-16 Vodacom Premier League first round fixtures

Clash of the Titans
Bantu and Matlama meet on October 17

August

Round 1

Saturday 22 August

LCS FC vs. Kick4Life (13:00, Setsoto Stadium)

Lioli vs. Sandawana (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)

Linare vs. Likhopo (15:00, Hlotse)

Sunday 23 August

LDF FC vs. Mphatlalatsane (15:00, Ratjomose)

Liphakoe vs. Likila United (15:00, Quthing)

Matlama vs. Rovers (15:00, Pitso Ground)

LMPS vs. Bantu (15:00, PTC)

Round 2

Saturday 29 August

Rovers vs. Liphakoe (15:00, Roma)

Mphatlalatsane vs. Likila United (15:00, St Monica’s)

Bantu vs. LDF FC (15:00, Mafeteng)

Linare vs. Lioli (15:00, Hlotse)

Sunday 30 August

Kick4Life vs. Matlama (15:00, Old Europa)

Sandawana vs. LCS FC (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Likhopo vs. LMPS (15:00, LCS)

September

2017 AFCON Qualifiers September 5/6 – Lesotho vs. Algeria

Round 3

Saturday 12 September

LMPS vs. Lioli (15:00, PTC)

LCS FC vs. Linare (15:00, LCS)

Rovers vs. Kick4Life (15:00, Roma)

Sunday 13 September

Matlama vs. Sandawana (15:00, Pitso Ground)

Likila United vs. Bantu (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

LDF FC vs. Likhopo (15:00, Ratjomose)

Liphakoe vs. Mphatlalatsane (15:00, Quthing)

Round 4

Saturday 19 September

Bantu vs. Mphatlalatsane (15:00, Mafeteng)

Likhopo vs. Likila United (15:00, LCS)

Linare vs. Matlama (15:00, Hlotse)

Sandawana vs. Rovers (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Sunday 20 September

LMPS vs. LCS FC (15:00, PTC)

Lioli vs. LDF FC (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)

Kick4Life vs. Liphakoe (15:00, Old Europa)

Round 5

Saturday 26 September

Liphakoe vs. Bantu (15:00, Quthing)

Kick4Life vs. Sandawana (15:00, Old Europa)

LDF FC vs. LCS FC (15:00, Ratjomose)

Matlama vs. LMPS (15:00, Pitso Ground)

Sunday 27 September

Mphatlalatsane vs. Likhopo (15:00, St Monica’s)

Likila United vs. Lioli (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Rovers vs. Linare (15:00, Roma)

October

October 3/4 – Independence Cup

Round 6

Saturday 10 October

Likhopo vs. Bantu (15:00, LCS)

LMPS vs. Rovers (15:00, PTC)

Sandawana vs. Liphakoe (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Sunday 11 October

Linare vs. Kick4Life (15:00, Hlotse)

LCS FC vs. Likila United (15:00, LCS)

LDF FC vs. Matlama (15:00, Ratjomose)

Lioli vs. Mphatlalatsane (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)

Round 7

Saturday 17 October

Linare vs. LMPS (15:00, Hlotse)

Sandawana vs. LDF FC (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Bantu vs. Matlama (15:00, Mafeteng)

Sunday 18 October

Liphakoe vs. Lioli (15:00, Quthing)

Kick4Life vs. Likila United (15:00, Old Europa)

Mphatlalatsane vs. Rovers (15:00, St Monica’s)

Likhopo vs. LCS FC (15:00, LCS)

Will Lioli defend their title?

Round 8

Saturday 24 October

LCS FC vs. Bantu (15:00, LCS)

LDF FC vs. Kic4life (15:00, Ratjomose)

Likila United vs. Rovers (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Linare vs. Liphakoe (15:00, Hlotse)

Sunday 25 October

Matlama vs. Mphatlalatsane (15:00, Pitso Ground)

LMPS vs. Sandawana (15:00, PTC)

Lioli vs. Likhopo (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)

Round 9

Saturday 31 October

Bantu vs. Lioli (15:00, Mafeteng)

Sandawana vs. Linare (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Kick4Life vs. LMPS (15:00, Old Europa)

November

Sunday 01 November 2015

Likila United vs. Matlama (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Liphakoe vs. Likhopo (15:00, Quthing)

Mphatlalatsane vs. LCS FC (15:00, St Monica’s)

Rovers vs. LDF FC (15:00, Roma)

Round 10

Saturday 7 November

Mphatlalatsane vs. Kick4Life (15:00, St Monica’s)

Matlama vs. Likhopo (15:00, Pitso Ground)

Likila United vs. Sandawana (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Sunday 8 November

LDF FC vs. Linare (15:00, Ratjomose)

Rovers vs. Bantu (15:00, Roma)

LCS FC vs. Lioli (15:00, LCS)

LMPS vs. Liphakoe (15:00, PTC)

November 14/15 – Catch-up weekend

Round 11                                                                                                         

Saturday 21 November

Lioli vs. Kick4Life (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)

LMPS vs. Mphatlalatsane (15:00, PTC)

Likhopo vs. Sandawana (15:00, LCS)

Sunday 22 November

Linare vs. Bantu (15:00, Hlotse)

Liphakoe vs. Matlama (15:00, Quthing)

LCS FC vs. Rovers (15:00, LCS)

LDF FC vs. Likila United (15:00, Ratjomose)

Round 12

Saturday 28 November

LDF FC vs. Liphakoe (15:00, Ratjomose)

Matlama vs. LCS FC (15:00, LCS)

Bantu vs. Sandawana (15:00, Mafeteng)

Rovers vs. Lioli (15:00, Roma)

Sunday 29 November

Mphatlalatsane vs. Linare (15:00, St Monica’s)

Likila United vs. LMPS (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Kick4Life vs. Likhopo (15:00, Old Europa)

December

Round 13

Saturday 5 December

Liphakoe vs. LCS FC (15:00, Quthing)

LMPS vs. LDF FC (15:00, PTC)

Lioli vs. Matlama (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)

Linare vs. Likila United (15:00, Hlotse)

Likhopo vs. Rovers (15:00, LCS)

Sandawana vs. Mphatlalatsane (15:00, Butha-Buthe)

Bantu vs. Kick4Life (15:00, Mafeteng)

December 12/13 – Catch-up weekend            

Lesotho goes down to Ethiopia in opening AFCON qualifier

Lesotho suffered a 2-1 defeat to Ethiopia in its opening 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier played this afternoon in Addis Ababa.

70,000 turned out at the Addis Ababa Stadium

Likuena were unable to hold on to Bokang Mothoana’s first half strike at a packed at Addis Ababa Stadium.

Lesotho took the lead in the 41st minute but Ethiopia dominated the second half and equalised in the 64th minute through Gatoch Panon.

The Walias continued to pile on the pressure and found the winner in the 78th minute through their captain Saladin Said. In the other game in Group J, Algeria beat the Seychelles 4-0 to take the early lead in the group. Lesotho’s next group game is against Algeria in Maseru in September.

Only the group winners are guaranteed a place in Gabon in 2017.

Big tie for Lesotho

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.

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

Lesotho Squad v Ethiopia

Likuena squad for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier v Ethiopia

Goalkeepers: Mohau Kuenane (Lioli), Kananelo Makhooane (Likhopo)

Defenders: Nkau Lerotholi (Matlama), Thapelo Mokhehle (Bantu), Jerry Kamela (Lioli), Thabiso Mohapi (Bantu), Nkesi Rankhasa (Matlama), Shetsane Ramoseeka (Lioli)

Midfielders: Bokang Mothoana (Likhopo), Mabuti Potloane (Matlama), Bushy Moletsane (Lioli), Tšoanelo Koetle (Lioli), Motlalepula Mofolo (Lioli), Teboho Lekhooa (Lioli), Hlompho Kalake (Bantu), Tumelo Khutlang (Sundawana), Jane Thabantšo (Matlama)

Strikers: Thapelo Tale (Likhopo), Thabiso Brown (Kick 4 Life), Nkoto Masoabi (Lioli) Litšepe Marabe (Bantu)

Ethiopia v Lesotho

14 June 2015 - 16:00 (Ethiopia time)

AFCON Qualifier

Addis Ababa Stadium

Addis Ababa