By Mikia Kalati
MASERU — Likuena’s impressive one-all draw against Zambia in a 2014 World Cup qualifier last month has seen the Lesotho national team moving 10 places on the Fifa rankings released on Thursday. Likuena have moved from position 166 to 156 in the world rankings while occupying position 41 in Africa. Coach Leslie Notši told the Sunday Express on Friday that the move is sweet reward for his team after the hard work and determination they put in to hold Zambia.
The challenge is now to maintain those standards in the remaining matches especially the upcoming second leg match against Zambia set for Lusaka on June 8, he said. “We saw that the Zambians were not happy with their team after the draw with us in the first leg match and they will come at us like a wounded buffalo in the second leg match,” Notši said.
“We have to prepare mentally and physically because we are in a very tough group that have some of the best national teams on the continent.”
The Likuena mentor said maintaining consistency will also be a big challenge for his team which faces a heavy schedule in the upcoming months. Lesotho’s national team travel to Zambia in the first week of June to face Chipolopolo and will then take on Ghana a week later at Setsoto Stadium. They will also play in the regional Cosafa Cup tournament to be held in Zambia in July. The former Matlama and Lioli coach said his team will be reporting back for camp next week as they prepare for the tough encounters against Zambia and Ghana.
“We will be taking the players back to the Free State Sports Science Institute again this month,” said Notši. “It worked wonders for us and they also have a rehabilitation centre that will help our injured players.” Notši said they are worried with the injuries of midfielder Motlalepula Mofolo and striker Thulo Ranchobe who missed the game against Zambia last month.
“The Free State Institute has all the needed resources to help speed the recovery process of injured players,” said Notši.
He said their wish is to win the three remaining matches of the group.
The team will also hold their next full-time camps in the district of Botha Bothe and Quthing and Notši pleaded with stakeholders to afford them the same support like they did prior to the first leg encounter against Chipolopolo.