Likuena Turn to coach Bob Mafoso for Their Football Redemption

Newly appointed Bob Mafoso has officially taken charge of the Lesotho national football team, Likuena, stepping into the hot seat with a two year contract.

The Lesotho Football Association(LeFA) has reunited Coach Mafoso with the national setup after he previously served as an assistant to his predecessor Leslie Notši . His appointment follows a stint in Namibia, where he was at the helm of African Stars FC.

Mafoso’s coaching breakthrough dates back to the 2013/14 campaign when he guided debutant Likila United to an impressive sixth-place finish in their maiden Lesotho Premier League season, an achievement that immediately marked him as one of the country’s brightest young tacticians.

That overachievement earned him a move to the ambitious Sandawana, where he steered the Botha-Bothe side to a fourth-place league finish, reinforcing his reputation as a coach capable of maximizing squad potential, which could be what the current Likuena need.

His rapid rise drew the attention of powerhouse Bantu FC, where in 2016 he was appointed assistant coach to James Madidilane. The partnership proved fruitful as Bantu clinched consecutive league championships.

Mafoso decided to step away from Madidilane’s shadow in 2018, when he assumed head coaching duties at Kick4Life FC, guiding the club to a respectable fifth-place league finish.

He later returned to Bantu FC, but this time as head coach, and delivered the club’s fourth league crown, with an 18-match unbeaten run during a season heavily disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coach Bob Mafoso also had stints with Lioli FC where he notably won the People’s cup in 2022 and Linare FC before making the move to Namibia.

While in Namibia, he added silverware to his cabinet by winning the league and securing qualification for the CAF Champions League, further evidence of his capacity to deliver success, even beyond Lesotho’s borders.

On the international front, Mafoso has long been embedded in Likuena’s technical structures.

Working alongside coach Notši, he was part of the bench that led the Makoanyane XI to reach the COSAFA U-20 Championship final in 2023, ultimately finishing runners-up to the U-20 Zambian national team.

Speaking during his official unveiling, at Bambatha Tšita, coach Mafoso acknowledged the magnitude of the responsibility awaiting him.

“I have mixed emotions about the job. I’m excited and scared at the same time because I know that expectations are very high,” he said.

He added that institutional backing would be key to his tenure:

“I take strength from knowing that I have the commitment from the President that he will give me and the team support.”

Coach Bob Mafoso and his Likuena side have already begun training. If anyone can lead the Lesotho National team, it’s coach Bob Mafoso, carrying a CAF A coaching license, multiple titles in his coaching career, international exposure and overall coaching experience. Mafoso has officially assumed the Likuena role.