Africa-Press – Lesotho. The national team, Likuena, have left for Ivory Coast to face the West African giants on Saturday. The match is Lesotho’s last of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers and interim coach Leslie Notši has called up a new-look squad without many of the key players that played a big role in Likuena’s run to the COSAFA Cup final in July.
The reasoning is simple. Notši and his staff have their sights on the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers which start in three weeks’ and are strictly for locally based players.
The first-round first leg games of the CHAN qualifiers will be played on September 22 and 24, and with Lesotho out of the running to reach next year’s AFCON, Sunday’s clash against Ivory Coast provides Notši with an opportunity to test his CHAN hopefuls in a high-pressure environment against one of Africa’s best.
Notši said Likuena have been training three days a week for two weeks. In addition, the senior side played a friendly match against South African second division outfit Mangaung United last week.
Notši said Likuena’s preparations have been good but he is understandably expecting a tough test against a continental powerhouse that is filled to the brim with European-based players.
Ivory Coast, who will host next year’s AFCON, are ranked ninth in Africa and 52nd in the world. Their line-up is likely to include the likes of Nottingham Forest defender Serge Aurier and Borussia Dortmund striker Sébastien Haller.
Notši admitted Saturday’s game will be very different to what Likuena saw at the COSAFA Cup. It will also be Lesotho’s first test without erstwhile captain, Basia Makepe, who retired from international duty last week after a decade of admirable service.
Also missing will be the experienced attacking threats of Jane Thabantšo and South Africa based striker Motebang Sera. “We have lost players that we would have liked to have, the likes of captain (Basia) Makepe; as you know, he has retired from international football,” Notši said.
“Motebang Sera is carrying an injury from his club, Royal AM, Lisema Lebokollane is nursing a hand injury, Jane Thabantšo has left for municipal games (in Botswana).
These are big players that we would have liked to be part of the team,” Notši added. The game against Ivory Coast kicks off at 6pm local time at the newly upgraded Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro.
It promises to be a festive atmosphere as the Ivorians gear up to host the AFCON early next year and pre-match nerves are an obvious concern for a Lesotho squad that will be lacking international experience.
Notši said the key for Likuena is to focus on what they do well and not dwell too much not their opponents. “We are looking at our strengths, in the past as Likuena we used to look at our opponents’ strengths more than ours,” Notši said.
“When we were in Durban (for the COSAFA Cup), we worked on our strengths a lot and it worked.
Even now, we are looking at (our preparations) that way but with different elements (because) it’s not going to be easy in that game,” he continued. Continuity is another element Notši is banking on.
Many of the new faces Notši has called up have come up through the national junior teams and this is natural a progression into the senior team for them. Lesotho’s goalless draw with Ivory Coast when the sides met in Soweto in their first clash last June is also another confidence booster.
That was arguably the team’s finest hour during Veselin Jelusic’s ill-fated tenure and Notši said Likuena will look to use several of the same plans that were successful on that occasion.
“We know it’s not going to be easy but we need players that we know are going to work for us and play as a team, we want to play as a unit and absorb pressure,” Notši said of the players he has called up.
Those players, and the old guard, will have a chance on Saturday to show their talents to the many eyes that accompany playing against one of the top national teams on the continent. Who knows? They may impress scouts and onlookers with their performances. If that happens, Notši believes Likuena can cause a threat to Ivory Coast.
“When we played them (last year) we were managing them but we could not get into their box because we were defending; but now, we will try to absorb pressure and still be dangerous,” Notši said.
“I think they will leave spaces for us, so with speed and our capabilities (we can capitalise).”
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