Teboho Molapo
MASERU — Lesotho’s football continues to be undermined by its deep-rooted amateur status.
This is the dark shadow following national Under-20 coach Leslie Notši as he gears his charges ahead of the Caf African Youth Championship which begins next Sunday.
Makoanyane XI will for the next two weeks at least be guests at Africa’s VIP youth football party and will kick-start their campaign next Sunday against the Pharaohs of Egypt.
Last week the revised draw for the continental showpiece saw Johannesburg confirmed as the host city.
Lesotho will play all its games at Dobsonville Stadium, the scene of their famous 2-0 win over South Africa last July.
Lesotho’s group now consists of new hosts South Africa, Egypt and Mali while Group B has Ghana, Nigeria and Gambia.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express ahead of his side’s imminent departure, Notši said he was satisfied with his charges.
However the reality of Lesotho’s football is never far behind. The Makoanyane XI will be competing against players exposed to professional football.
“When you take into consideration the level of our football I’m happy with our team. When you compare us with other countries (at the tournament) their leagues are of a high standard,” Notši said on Friday.
The lanky coach and his technical team have in many ways worked a minor miracle in getting this far, going through a memorable qualifying campaign and claiming the scalps of Mozambique, South Africa and Kenya in the process.
Expectations as a result have been raised and the Under-20 team has become a standard bearer, but on a stage such as the African Youth Championship Lesotho’s refusal to develop means it sells itself short.
“What happens here (in Lesotho) is that people tend to gauge football with the national team when it is supposed to be the other way round,” Notši said.
“The amateur status of our football has a negative impact when we play people who are professionalised.
“We played well against Saudi Arabia but we reached a plateau in our performance,” Notši added, in reference to his side’s 3-1 friendly loss in Saudi Arabia in February.
“In the first half we put in everything, counter attacking, not giving them space and we scored, but we were not able to keep it up. It’s something that can’t change at national team level.
“It has to happen at club level. All the habits are from there. We have done our level best for the team to be where it is,” Notši said.
The Makoanyane XI’s assignment is a tough one playing against powerhouses Egypt and Mali and a new host South Africa, which will pose different challenges.
Although Notši didn’t place much significance on the change of venue Lesotho will now be weary of a wounded opponent.
The Makoanyane XI have enjoyed the upper hand over their South African counterparts recently and beat them en route to qualifying for the African Youth Championship.
Lesotho also beat Amajita at the Eduardo dos Santos International tournament in Angola last August before a 2-1 win in the group stage of the Metropolitan Cosafa Under-20 Youth Championships in December.
“Like I said before the tournament host was changed, having qualified meant that we were going to play against these countries. They are very good footballing nations and we are aware that it is going to be difficult,” Notši said.
“For South Africa it’s going to be tough because we have beaten them twice this season and they are going to come at us like wounded tigers. Having beaten them before doesn’t mean that it is already a done deal. I’m also aware that they have changed their technical team,” Notši said.
“But I’m confident in our team. They have acquired a lot of exposure and experience; we believe they are ready,” he added.
There is a juicy carrot dangling too for Lesotho at the competition.
Apart from massive exposure, if the Makoanyane XI progress from their group they will qualify for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Colombia in July.
But for Notši the mantra is the same, take it one game at a time and the World Cup would be a bonus.
“I want us to win the first match. I would also want to win the second game and the third most crucial game is Mali. If we get the points they will get us to the semi-finals and of course to the World Cup, but we still want to see ourselves going forward and coming back with a medal,” Notši said.
The squad itself is yet to be finalised but Notši has all his options available. The only player absent is Matlama’s Mohau Khali who was injured in league action last weekend.
Notši has had the fortune of a settled side built on the solid base of goalkeeper Kananelo Makhoane and his back four through to an explosive forward line led by Tsebang Lebata, Litšepe Marabe and Lehlomela Ramabele.
As they embark on another mission, maybe the biggest of their lives, Notši and his Makoanyane XI will be hoping for another memorable miracle.