Likuena interim coach, Seephephe Matete, and his charges have a chance to make history in a fortnight’s time when Lesotho host Liberia in the second leg of the first round of the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations tournament at Setsoto stadium.
The national football team, Likuena, lost the first leg 1-0 in Monrovia this past Sunday — a result which left them with a good chance of making it to the next stage of the tournament.
Although the team ended up on the losing end, I have to say the boys gave a brave fight to only lose by a single goal, if one considered their preparations leading to the match.
Likuena hardly had friendly matches during their preparations and only played against Swaziland, who are not good enough for me and that was almost two months ago.
Veteran defender, Moitheri Ntobo, joined the squad only a day before Likuena left for the West African country after the Bantu duo of Thabo Masualle and Tlali Maile failed to travel with the team.
Not that I doubted Ntobo’s abilities.
I have been close to many of these players during my time working for the Lesotho Football Association and, for me, he remains one of the few players who always gives a 100 percent when given a chance to play for his country.
Many fans have questioned Ntobo’s inclusion in the team since he is in the twilight of his playing career and has also indicated his wish to retire from international football after long years of service, but the fact that the hard-tackling defender was ready to play when given a late call-up speaks volumes about his discipline and commitment to the Lesotho cause.
Ntobo is a true patriot who has served the beautiful game with his heart and soul and deserves respect instead of the unfair criticism levelled at him as he still plays week-in-and-week-out at club level.
Another player who was under scrutiny was Bokang “Lefty” Mothoana.
Lefty has not played competitive football since leaving his Tunisian side, Union Sportive Monastirienne, late last year and there were a lot of question marks about his fitness, heading to the first leg match.
He is one of the most talented and experienced players we have in the country and also disciplined after years of playing professionally in Tunisia.
I feel the coaching staff did the right thing to include him in the team as well as naming him among the captains in the squad.
And of course, there was the malaria issue that hit first-choice goalkeeper, Mohau Kuenane, who had to be hospitalised in Liberia for a few days and missing out on playing for the team.
This left Matete with no choice but to start with former national under-20 goalkeeper, Kananelo Makhooane.
This is where good youth development structures come into play because, as much as Makhooane has never started a game for Likuena at that level, he has plenty of experience from his days in the youth teams and it was not a problem for him to fill-in the big boots of Kuenane.
We have to give credit to the team although they lost; it was not a bad score and I hope they will bounce back in the second leg tie here at home.
Liberia may not have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in recent years, but they remain a good team with a number of players who have played at the highest level in Europe and Africa.
And it was always going to be difficult to play them in their own back
