LIKUENA on Sunday returned home from Mozambique completely shattered after losing two matches during the Three Nations Tournament, which was held in Maputo on Wednesday and Saturday.

In the first game against hosts Mozambique on Wednesday, the national squad lost 5-0 before going down 2-1 to Eswatini on Saturday.

Talking in post-match interviews with the media, Likuena head coach Thabo Senong said although he was unhappy with the results, he was however, satisfied with the preparations ahead of the regional Council of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) Cup, which is scheduled for Durban, South Africa next month.
He said he introduced a youthful side with majority of the players making their debut national call up.

The squad he said, however, played against tough and much experienced sides which gave them a run for their money.

The Pimville-born coach said his players managed to hold on to the opponents until they succumbed to pressure due to inexperience and lack of international exposure.
He nonetheless promised to work on the mistakes ahead of the COSAFA Cup, adding that they will be better-prepared by July.
Senong was under a lot of pressure going into the tournament after the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) President King’s Counsel Salemane Phafane had warned him to guide Likuena to at least the COSAFA semi-finals or face serious consequences.
Asked to comment on the mandate given to him prior to the Mozambique tournament, Senong said there was nothing special about coaches being given mandates in order to deliver.
He however agreed that all the pressure should be applied on him as the mentor and most certainly not on the players in order to allow them to play freely.