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AHEAD OF CRUNCHY AFCON TIES WITH NIGERIA, INJURY WOES FOR ELIMINATED LESOTHO’S LIKUENA

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Jose Meza of Maritzburg United challenges Tumelo Khutlang of Black Leopards FC during the DStv Premiership 2020/21 game between Maritzburg United and Black Leopards at Harry Gwala Stadium on 2 March 2021 © Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix

It appears to be double jeopardy for Lesotho national football team, which national team is nicknamed ‘Likuena’. They are faced with injury worries as the already out of contention sides face runaway group leaders, Super Eagles on the last match day of the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday in Lagos.

The problem had even been there before their last Saturday’s barren draw at home with Sierra Leone.

The coach, Thabo Senong had been worried about injuries suffered by several of his key players.

Likuena started preparing for the qualifiers last month with players registering for camp.

The side played it first practice match against local club, a South African football club, Free State Stars losing 1-0.

The coach, Senong is reported by local newspaper, Lesotho Times, to be worried that his team has been hit by injury woes.

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Motebang Sera, a striker for South Africa’s Bloemfontein Celtic which was eliminated by Nigeria’s Rivers United from the CAF Confederation Cup late last year, has been out with a hamstring injury and only started training last week.

Another player, Tumelo Khutlag a midfielder for Black Leopards of South Africa was also not part of the team which lost to TTM in the Nedbank Cup quarter finals two Saturdays ago.

Yet another striker, Morapeli Lesoetsa, has been ruled out of the team after suffering from an achilles tendon injury.

The duo of Jane Thabantšo and Thabang Malane has also been nursing minor injuries but re-joined the rest of the squad in training last week Monday.

 “We would have loved to play many friendly matches but the logistics are not allowing it.

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“In terms of fitness, we are improving and I hope last Friday’s friendly will help continue improving. We are solid in defence and can build from there.

“The challenge is in the final third. But our strikers are outside the country.”

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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AFCON

Fear of Boniface and Lookman grips Libya’s coach, Al-Hadhiri

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Faced with internal  challenges that include players’ injuries and boycotts, the Libyan coach, Nasser Al-Hadhiri is believed by local press as facing a ‘near-impossible mission’ in Nigeria.

“The team’s mission against Nigeria seems almost impossible. The Nigerian team has a strong squad, led by names such as Ademola Lookman and Victor Boniface, which makes the task more difficult for the Libyan team”, Akhbarlibya24 editorialised.

It further reported that despite the difficult situation, the Libyan coach, Nasser Al-Hadhiri remains somewhat optimistic, as he hopes to achieve a positive result. He remarked:  “We realize that winning against Nigeria is difficult, but we seek to return with a draw that will be positive for us and restore our hope in competing for qualification.”

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AFCON

Pressure mounts on Libya ahead of Super Eagles clash

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According to Libya’s news outlets, there are palpable fears in the Libya national team which faces successive crises and trying to avoid early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.

The team which faces the Super Eagles this week has been plagued with players’ absences occasioned by injuries and boycotts.

 The coach recently appointed has revealed the names of players refusing to represent the national team.

In a press conference held on Saturday, Coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri remarked that the absence of several players were due to real injuries.

In that class are Ahmed Al-Tarbi, a defender of Ahli Tripoli; Mohammed Al-Tabbal of Al-Nasr club and Ali Youssef who also suffered the injury while playing with Tunisia’s  Club Africaine.

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AFCON

Libya’s new coach, Al-Hadhir faces difficult time ahead of Super Eagles match

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Libya's Coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri 

If the Libyan national team sticks to plans, the players are expected to have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel in Uyo.

With most players drawn from the domestic league, the national team had daily training sessions in Tripoli under coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri and his assistants Akram Al-Hammami and Abu Bakr Al-Hark.

However, according to media sources in Libya, the team faces injury worries even though the absence of Victor Osimhen in the Nigerian squad is being celebrated.

  Even though it did not mention the injured Libyan players,  Libya Al-Ahrar Channel reports that replacements were found in  Al-Tahadi FC defender, Mohammed Khalil and Al-Nasr midfielder, Abdullah Abdul Rahim as well as Al-Akhdar winger,  Faraj Ghaidhan.  They take the places of the absent regular players.

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