By Mikia Kalati
MASERU — Likuena coach, Leslie Notši, is nursing a headache over injury woes ahead of his team’s trip to Sudan today.
The Lesotho national team will play Sudan in Khartoum in their last of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers on Sunday.
Notši has had to leave behind the duo of key midfielders Ralekoti Mokhahlane and Motlelepula Mofolo who were among the players who stood out during the team’s impressive performance at the regional Cosafa cup played in Zambia in July.
Attacking midfielder Mofolo also joined the team from Cape Town Santos carrying a slight angle injury.
“We did not have the best of preparations leading to this match, but I sat down with the team to tell them about the importance of putting behind our off the field problems to fight for our country.
“The most important thing will be to go there as a team, fight for each other and try to maintain the standards we set during the Cosafa cup,” Notši said.
The Likuena mentor said he is also worried about the match fitness of his team as they have not played together since their third/fourth place playoff against South Africa on July 20.
“It’s a bit of a worry that we have not played together for some time, but I’m confident that the players will be able to absorb the pressure of playing away from home against a team that reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations in 2012,” said Notši. The match is going to be a test of character and I have prepared the players mentally so that they know what to expect against Sudan,” he said.
He said the injuries to Ralekoti and Mofolo are a big blow to their preparations as the duo has been very instrumental in the team’s success in recent matches.
Ralekoti scored two goals during the Cosafa cup while Mofolo banged a single goal.
The Likuena mentor also said the uncertainty about the future of top marksman, Tšepo Lekhooana who is still without a club, is worrying him.
The striker was in the books of South African first division side Maluti FET College last season, but is back at home.
“I believe we still have a good team despite the absence of the two key midfielders who are out because of injuries,” Notši said.
He said an angle injury to Moleko is not bad as they have communicated with the medical team of his club in Cape Town and has been checked by the Likuena doctors as well.
Also expected to join the team before their trip to Sudan is United FC attacking midfielder, Litšepe Marabe who recently joined the South African first division team.
