Mikia Kalati
LIKUENA coach Moses Maliehe has appealed to his charges not to read too much into their friendly successes against Swaziland and Mauritania, and urged them to instead raise the bar by winning away to Tanzania in Saturday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) clash.
Maliehe said this in an interview with the Lesotho Times upon Likuena’s return from Pretoria, South Africa where they edged Mauritania in a friendly, courtesy of a Hlompho Kalake goal.
Mauritania used the friendly to prepare for their upcoming AFCON qualifier against Botswana.
Maliehe expressed satisfaction that his charges had been tested against good teams that were also preparing for the AFCON qualifiers.
“Our preparations have been very good as we were able to play against two good teams,” Maliehe said.
“We were abIe to try out different combinations and have a picture of our starting eleven to face Tanzania.
“We will be high on confidence when we play Tanzania because we won our warm-up games.
“The biggest thing we achieved in those two matches was improving our mental strength to deal with any pressure from our opponents,” he said.
The former Matlama and Sandawana coach however, admitted that his side was still not clinical enough in front of goal and would have to improve.
“We squandered a lot of chances against Mauritania in a game we could have won by three goals.
“We cannot improve overnight so we have to keep working hard to get it right. But I’m happy because there were a lot of positives in the two matches.”
Despite all the positives, Maliehe admitted that Tanzania’s Taifa Stars boasting of the 2016 African Footballer of the year based in Africa, Mbwana Ally Samatta were a closed book to him.
Samatta has since moved to Europe where he plays for Genk in the Belgium premier league.
“We have tried to get information on them without any luck and they are at the moment a closed book to us.
“I have had to depend on the Botswana national team coach to get information on them as they recently played each other in a friendly game.”
Maliehe also said he was happy with the progress of Napo Matsoso who plies his trade in the United States of America.
“He is not yet at the level where we want him but he is settling nicely into the team, getting to understand his teammates better,” said the Likuena coach.
Tanzania is ranked a notch above Likuena on position 139 in the world rankings.
Likuena squad to face Tanzania
Goalkeepers: Daniel Jousse, Sam Ketsekile (both LCS) and Likano Teele (LDF)
Defence: Mkwanazi Motlomelo (Sandawana), Motiki Mohale (LCS) Mafa Moremoholo, Bokang Sello, Kopano Tseka (All Lioli), Thapelo Mokhehle and Ituemeleng Faleni (Both Bantu).
Midfielders: Bokang Mothoana (Kick4Life), Tšoanelo Koetle (Lioli), Kefuoe Mahula, Mabuti Potloane, Jane Thabantšo (All Matlama), Hlompho Kalake, Thabiso Mohapi, Litšepe Marabe, (All Bantu), Lehlohonolo Fothoane, (Swallows), Tsietsi Motšeare (Sky Battalion) Napo Matsoso (USA).
Strikers: Thapelo Tale, Thabiso Brown (both Kick4Life), Tumelo Khutlang (Lioli), Sera Motebang (Matlama).
