MASERU – Likuena were bundled out of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers by the Wallias of Ethiopia through an away goal rule after the two held each other to a 1-1 aggregate score in the second leg of their encounter at Setsoto Stadium on Sunday.
sports
Sept. 13, 2019
STAFF REPORTER
3 min read
Likuena out of World Cup qualifiers
The Wallias proceed to the group stages of the competition as the first leg ended 0 - 0 in Ethiopia but they were able to score away from home as opposed to their Lesotho counterparts who did not.
In a post-match interview, Likuena’s newly appointed head coach Thabo Senong described the game as impressive, saying tactically they applied themselves quite well.
“We created enough chances but were unlucky not to have converted them into goals.
“We hit the cross bar three times and luck was not on our side. I blame no one as we conceded the goal against the run of the play which was unfortunate,” he said.
Senong said he did not have enough time to work with the players before the game but was content with the charges’ work ethic.
He promised to go back and work hard in preparation for Zimbabwe in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers in two weeks’ time.
The team is also preparing for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against teams such as Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Senong said he needed to consult with other local coaches at club level in order to get as much information as possibly he could as well as watch the domestic league which kicks off on Saturday.
He showed that the only players who would be called up for the Likuena line up were those on form, from both the domestic league and internationally.
“Discipline will be key, we need radical changes in the team if we want to get anywhere,” he said, pledging to turn Likuena into a powerhouse in the region.
Matlama's midfielder Jane Thaba-Nts'o was voted the man of the match by the panel of coaches and earned himself M3 000 from Econet Telecom Lesotho who will from now onwards be sponsors of the man of the match home games awards.
Thaba-Nts’o urged the team not to be embarrassed after they were knocked out of the World Cup qualifiers, saying theirs was an impressive performance that needed to be improved going forward.
The Ethiopian visitors completely dominated the first half of the game as they consistently held the ball, forcing the hosts to chase their shadows most of the duration of the match.However, the visitors failed to turn their high possession into chances as Likuena's defence marshalled by skipper Basia Makepe and Nkau Lerotholi stood firm and kept the attacking Ethiopians at bay.
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In the second stanza the Wallias came out looking for a decisive goal. A cross squeezed between the legs of Lerotholi and kissed the back of the net silenced the home crowd.
Sensing eminent defeat, Coach Senong applied pressure on the visitors forcing them to make a free kick just outside of the box. Ts'epo Seturumane's fierce shot was deflected into the net after hitting a Wallias man-made wall.
Likuena continued to make forays in search of the winning goal and the coach made double substitutions bringing in Nkoto Masoabi and Motebang Sera. But both strikers were denied clear goals by the cross bar to the disappointment of Basotho who cheered the team on until the final whistle.
The Ethiopians who resorted to the delaying tactics for most of the second half, started celebrating as soon as the game ended because they were well aware that a draw meant they were proceeding to the next stage of the competition.
LeNA
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