Mark Gleeson BBC Sport, Maseru

Dipsy Selolwane will spearhead Botswana's challenge

Lesotho take on Botswana in Maseru on Sunday in the Cosafa Cup first round in a very particular context.

Most of the smaller footballing countries in Africa face a barren calendar over the next two years now that the qualifiers for the next African Nations Cup and World Cup finals have been combined.

Lesotho and Botswana are among the lucky ones.

Botswana, for a start, are through to the group phase of the World Cup qualifiers which start in June and have an exciting, if somewhat daunting, programme ahead of them.

Lesotho, who they eliminated in the preliminary round in November, can now set their sights on the annual regional competition in southern Africa - the Cosafa Castle Cup.

The two countries meet in Maseru on Sunday in a first round tie that is much more important for both than just getting through to the quarterfinal phase of the competition.

For Botswana, victory will guarantee them more competitive matches ahead of the start of the World Cup qualifiers, where they have a tough group which includes the new African champions Tunisia and their bridesmaid, Morocco.

If Lesotho win, then they get to continue with competitive football this year.

Defeat means having to wait for the Cosafa Castle Cup to come around again next year.

Sunday's match is something of a local derby and a grudge affair after Botswana 4-1 aggregate win in the World Cup qualifiers.

The Zebras travel to Maseru with exciting striker Dipsy Selolwane, who is from the American club Chicago Fire.

Lesotho have recalled several of their veteran players in a bid to return around their flagging fortunes.