Moorosi Tsiane
THE Lesotho national senior soccer team’s dream of making its debut appearance in the CHAN competition hangs in the balance following Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe at the National Stadium in Harare.
After last weekend’s result, Thabo Senong’s charges will need to win the reverse fixture by a two-goal margin to make it to the finals in Cameroon next February.
The return leg will be played at Setsoto Stadium on 18 October.
The Warriors’ Mkhokheli Dube scored an early brace while Wellington Taderera scored the third. Hlompho Kalake scored Likuena’s consolation from the spot in the dying minutes of the match.
Senong said his side was let down by poor finishing.
“This was a tough match away from home and I firstly, I want to congratulate Zimbabwe for creating chances and converting them,” Senong said in a post-match interview in Harare.
“They (Zimbabwe) looked hungrier than us I think that is why they buried their chances. On the other hand, we also had chances but we were poor in the attacking third. Possibly, we lacked the quality and the confidence.”
He also admitted that they would be faced with a mountain to climb in the second leg despite being at home.
“We must work hard in preparation for the return leg. We will be playing under pressure, so it is not going to be easy. We must focus and remain disciplined.
“In football there are many possibilities but playing at home we will be under immense pressure. Zimbabwe have many attacking options so they will be all out for one or two goals, so it is not going to be easy and we cannot relax because we wouldn’t want to concede.”
He emphasised that his charges must work more on their finishing.
“We must be alert in our defending but most importantly, we must work on our finishing. We have to convert the chances that we create because that is the only way to win matches,” Senong said.
