Mafoso targets Likuena’s physical weakness

…ahead of AFCON qualifiers

Leemisa Thuseho

LIKUENA coach, Bob Mafoso, says a recently concluded pre-season camp was aimed at improving the physical conditioning of his players after a technical analysis identified fitness and physicality among their biggest shortcomings.

The non-residential camp, held from 6 to 23 July, brought together 26 locally based players selected from a provisional squad of 46 as preparations intensify for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Pamoja 2027 qualifiers.

Lesotho have been drawn in a daunting Group A alongside Morocco, Gabon and Niger, with the qualifying campaign set to begin in September 2026.

The decision to prioritise physical conditioning followed Likuena’s two international friendlies against Kenya in Pretoria, South Africa, in June. Lesotho drew the first match 1-1 before suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat in the second.

Speaking during a media briefing at Bambatha Ts’ita Sports Arena this week, Mafoso said those matches exposed a significant physical gap between Likuena and stronger African nations, prompting the technical team to conduct an in-depth analysis of both the national team and the Vodacom Premier League.

The study measured key performance indicators including total distance covered, sprint distance, high-intensity running, speed and overall physical output during matches.

“The data collected gave us an idea of where we are as a nation through our league,” Mafoso said.

He said the findings confirmed that Lesotho remains well below the physical standards required to compete consistently against Africa’s elite.

According to Mafoso, players in the local league cover an average of 5.9 kilometres per match, while top international teams operate at a far higher intensity. He cited Morocco, one of Lesotho’s AFCON qualifying opponents, whose players collectively cover about 115 kilometres during a match.

The statistics from the Kenya friendlies reflected the same trend.

“When we played Kenya, our team covered about 71 kilometres while Kenya covered 89 kilometres,” Mafoso said.

“I even asked one of our local referees how much distance he covers in domestic matches compared to international matches. He told me he runs about four kilometres locally but more than seven kilometres internationally. That alone tells us where we are in terms of speed, sprinting and distances covered.”

Mafoso said inadequate physical conditioning limits players’ ability to execute tactical and technical aspects of the game.

“If your players cannot match the opposition physically, it denies them the opportunity to express themselves and perform to their full capability,” he said.

While acknowledging that player development is built on four pillars — mentality, tactical awareness, technical ability and physical conditioning — Mafoso stressed that fitness provides the foundation for the other three.

“To compete with the best, we have to export more players or improve the standard of our league.

“Yes, we can talk about long-term development, but we have major competitions coming soon. Physicality was identified as an area that needed immediate attention.”

He said the ultimate objective is to build a team capable of adapting to different styles of play without being held back by physical limitations.

“We are happy that the team can now play without fear, but the question is whether we can exploit dangerous areas during matches. If we cannot, then it is often because we lack the physical qualities required.”

As part of their preparations, the technical team is hoping to arrange a practice match against a South African Betway Premiership club before the AFCON qualifiers, although Mafoso admitted securing another international friendly during this period could prove difficult.

The early start of the 2026/27 Vodacom Premier League season on 22 August is also expected to boost Likuena’s preparations by ensuring players regain match fitness ahead of September’s qualifiers.

Mafoso added that the national team will continue working closely with local clubs to carefully manage players’ workloads.

“We will engage the coaches so that we can have the players from Monday to Wednesday, then release them to their clubs from Thursday until the weekend for league matches,” he said, while thanking local coaches for their continued support and cooperation.

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