South African senior national side Bafana Bafana has once again avoided playing against local national team Likuena in an international friendly match next Wednesday at Setsoto stadium.The match would be part of celebrations to mark Lesotho’s King Letsie III’s 39^th birthday.

The disappointed Likuena Team Manager Mr. Khiba Mohoanyane expressed dismay after hoping that this time the match would materialize. “I am really surprised to receive this kind of letter after negotiating with the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) President and the coach and everything seemed to be in the right direction,” he commented.

Mr. Mohoanyane said he had met Bafana Bafana coach during the world cup tournament in Korea and Japan and had agreed on principle of the possible teams playing an international friendly, but those people now talk about a congested programme He did not hesitate to point out that South African side could be trying to avoid playing against them after the local boys shocked Bafana Bafana 1-0 in an international match at Setsoto stadium earlier this year.

Despite marking the King’s birthday, both teams would be preparing for regional and continental matches scheduled for this year. Likuena would engage World cup finalists Senegal in the Africa  Cup of Nations qualifying games in September while Bafana Bafana meet Madagascar on Council of Southern African Football Association (COSAFA) Castle cup to be played next weekend.

10 July, 2002