Teboho Molapo
MASERU — Likuena return to international football this week with two practice games against South African sides.
Another international friendly against Botswana is planned for August 10.
Likuena coach Leslie Notši told the Sunday Express on Friday that his side will play a match against South Africa’s first division outfit Carara Kicks on Wednesday before taking on premier league side Free State Stars on Saturday.
Both matches will be played in South Africa.
At the time of print yesterday the Botswana tie had not been confirmed but Notši said he had positive talks with the Zebras coach Stanley Tshosane and all that was left was the official confirmation.
August 10 is an official Fifa date for international matches.
“I’m not exactly sure but the last time I spoke to Tshosane everything was fine,” Notši said.
Likuena have been in camp at the Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena for two weeks and Notši said the standard shown by the players called up for training was giving him a selection headache.
“The training camp is going very well. I have got a headache, but it’s good,” Notši said.
Likuena was hoping to avoid tough opponents in the Fifa World Cup draw which was scheduled for last night.
The draw will determine the match-ups for the 2014 Fifa World Cup preliminary qualifiers to be played in November.
Because of its low ranking Lesotho was expected to be in the second pot to face either Mozambique, DRC, Togo, Liberia, Tanzania, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Namibia, Burundi or Madagascar in the preliminary round.
Notši said that all the players apart from the Matlama duo of Litšepe Marabe and Tšoanelo Koetle who are attending trials in Botswana and the LPMS and LDF contingent had reported for training.
Lesotho has not played a full international since September 2009, a 1-0 win over Mauritius in the Cosafa Senior Challenge, and Notši said he hoped for a few more games in preparation.
“We are going to fix a few areas and also see which players can fit into the system and style we want to deploy,” he said.
Notši said he would announce a 22-man squad for the Free State Stars encounter before the team travels to Botswana.
Foreign based players will be included at a later date.
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