Moorosi Tsiane
THE Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) president, Advocate Salemane Phafane KC, must disband the Likuena squad if it fails to beat Tanzania when the two sides clash at Setsoto Stadium on Sunday in the second leg of their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
This was said by the side’s coach, Moses Maliehe, at a press briefing in Maseru yesterday.
The two sides drew one-all in the first leg in June last year and the buoyant Maliehe said his charges must to collect maximum points on Sunday.
Likuena sit at the bottom of Group L with two points while Tanzania are second with five points behind Uganda who have 10 points while Cape Verde are third with four points.
Maliehe admitted that qualifying for the AFCON to be staged in Cameroon next year will be a far-fetched dream but said they are gunning for the remaining six points in their final two matches against Tanzania (on Sunday) and Cape Verde (March 2019).
“We dropped points very unnecessarily in our last two matches against Uganda and that has put us in a tight corner in terms of qualifying for the tournament for the first time,” Maliehe said.
“But that is the water under the bridge and we have been preparing thoroughly for the coming game against Tanzania because we need to ensure that we collect maximum points. Mathematically, we still stand a chance to qualify but it is not going to be easy because we will also have to bank on how other teams play.
“All the selected players are in a camp and we are at the last phase of our preparations. The mood of the players is very good and one can tell that the determination is high as they have all been working hard.”
Maliehe said they need to be more offensive against the Taifa Stars hence he has decided to re-call Thapelo Tale into the squad.
“The approach is going to be different this time so we are going to be offensive hence we have re-called Tale because he gives us that edge. He is speedy. We also needed to boost our midfield so we called Sepiriti Malefane while we dropped Mohau Kuenane from the goalkeeping department and called Matlama’s Monaheng Ramalefane and Tankiso Chaba from Liphakoe because also our number one goalkeeper Likano is out injured.”
“This is football and anything is possible. We are working for eight points and we still have to play Tanzania who are working for 11 and Cape Verde who are working for nine. We just have to do the job ourselves and maybe we can finish behind Uganda who are working for 16 points,” Maliehe said.
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GOALKEEPERS:
Tankiso Chaba, Sam Ketsekile, Monaheng Ramalefane.
DEFENDERS: Mafa Moremoholo, Bokang Sello, Kopano Tseka, Nkau Lerotholi, Basia Makepe.
MIDFIELDERS: Sepiriti Malefane, Tšepo Toloane, Mabuti Potloane, Hlompho Kalake, Jane Thabantšo
Jane Tšotleho, Tshwarelo Bereng, Setho Moshoeshoe,Tumelo Khutlang.
STRIKERS: Motebang Sera, Nkoto Masoabi, Thapelo Tale
