Matlama head coach Molebatsi Mothobi says he has been studying their CAF Champions League opponents Coton Sport from Cameroon, and has identified where they pose a threat, writes Tlalane Phahla.
The two teams will lock horns in the preliminary stages of the CAF Champions League next month, and both are relatively unknown to each other.
Lesotho champions have not been able to watch their opponents physically. The best they have done was to study their videos.
Now with two weeks before the first leg, Mothobi believes they have an idea of what to expect from the Cameroonians in the CAF Champions League.
He said pace would be crucial for his charges in both legs if they were to proceed to the next round.
“They are physical. We don’t need to be physical to play them. We need speed of play. We are not physical. We cannot play like that. They will beat us [if we try to go physical],” he said.
“Let’s have speed, and that is where the fitness element comes in. Can we run away from them quick enough? If we lose the ball, can we get it back quickly?
“I think that’s where it is. We don’t need to play a strength game with them,” he added. The domestic league is yet to commence in Lesotho, which means this [CAF Champions League tie] will be Matlama’s first competitive game.
As a result, Mothobi said measuring match fitness has been difficult, and they will only know when they compete.
“They’ve got a good height from what I have seen even though it was on the screen. The short ones are speedy, just like us.
“Their goalkeeper is tall. I don’t know if they are going to use the one we have been seeing,” he said.
“They use their left side a lot. Their left winger is very quick. He scores a lot of their goals combining with the striker.
“It’s up to us to not let them play and be strong on both sides,” he said.
The first leg will be played in South Africa as stadiums in Lesotho do not meet the standards to host CAF Champions League matches. The Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) are footing the bill for ‘Tse Putsoa’. They have not announced a ground yet, but the Free State Stadium will likely play host.
