Likuena to play in empty stadium
MASERU -Likuena will play subsequent week’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in opposition to the Central African Republic (CAR) behind closed doorways, the Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) has introduced.
The sport scheduled for Thursday at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, is not going to have supporters in attendance as a result of LEFA say they’re dropping cash on safety charges despite the fact that fan turnout is low.
Lesotho has performed its worldwide matches in South Africa for the previous three years as a result of Africa’s governing physique, CAF, banned the nationwide stadium, Setsoto, in May 2021 due to its dilapidated state.
The ongoing exile means Likuena followers need to make costly journeys to Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Durban to assist their nation.
LEFA say latest matches performed in South Africa haven’t offered greater than 1 000 tickets, making it financially unsustainable for the affiliation to pay for safety and different facilities that allow supporters to be on the stadium.
Lesotho can now not qualify for the 2025 AFCON to be hosted in Morocco subsequent yr and in consequence, curiosity in subsequent week’s match from the supporter’s perspective is low.
The truth the match is a midweek fixture makes it much more undesirable and has prompted LEFA’s determination to lock the gates.
LEFA say internet hosting the sport with out followers will save over M100 000 on safety and stadium bills.
The suspension of Setsoto Stadium has restricted followers’ entry to the nationwide facet and added journey prices that many supporters can’t afford.
Although some loyal followers have attended matches at venues in Soweto and Durban, the numbers haven’t been sufficient to offset internet hosting bills for LEFA.
However, there’s a silver lining for followers as LEFA confirmed supporters will likely be allowed at Likuena’s decisive 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier in opposition to Angola in December.
Unlike subsequent week’s AFCON match, the Angola conflict holds excessive stakes because the winner will qualify for subsequent yr’s CHAN finals in February.
LEFA expects a greater turnout from supporters desirous to assist Likuena within the essential match in opposition to Angola. The sport can also be more likely to be performed on a weekend, which can make it engaging for supporters to journey.
Likuena booked a date with Angola final weekend after defeating Namibia 4-3 on penalties within the first spherical of CHAN qualifying.
Likuena misplaced 1-0 in Windhoek however they’d received the primary leg with the identical margin, which introduced the combination rating to 1-1.
Reflecting on Likuena’s penalty shootout win over Namibia, Likuena head coach Leslie Notši mentioned he was happy together with his staff’s progress.
“One good thing about tournament football is that we get to work on the problem that we have been having of creating goal-scoring opportunities,” Notši mentioned.
“We have not been clinical and it still showed (against Namibia) but I think the fact that we were able to create chances and the (fact the Namibia) goalkeeper saved most of them says there is an improvement, even though there is still a lot of room for improvement,” he defined.
Notši additionally heaped praises on Likuena’s younger gamers saying they took benefit of the minutes they performed and confirmed maturity.
The staging of the 2024 CHAN finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda is being seen as a take a look at occasion earlier than the East African neighbours host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Qualifying would symbolize Lesotho’s first-ever look at a continental competitors.
Notši mentioned the CHAN qualifying video games are important as Likuena try to extend their pool of gamers.
Tlalane Phahla
