South Africa will target a victory over Lesotho when the teams meet in a Group C 2026 World Cup Qualifier, set for the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Friday evening.
Bafana Bafana come into the match placed second in Group C – level on seven points with surprise leaders Rwanda after four completed matchdays.
Bafana Bafana were last in action in this competition in June of last year, recording a 1-1 draw away to Nigeria, followed by a 3-0 home triumph over Zimbabwe.
Hugo Broos’s side will be confident of keeping up the momentum built in their successful Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, which was wrapped up in November last year with back-to-back wins over Uganda (away) and South Sudan (home).
Lesotho, meanwhile, are in fourth place in Group C – just two points off the lead – and have notably held Nigeria away from home and beaten Zimbabwe thus far.
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Likuena, however, suffered a chastening 7-0 defeat in their last full ‘A’ outing, an AFCON qualifier away to Morocco in November last year.
South Africa coach Hugo Broos on not taking anything for granted against Lesotho:
“I think we can make a big step to qualification [if Bafana wins both games against Lesotho and Benin], I am sure. But we have to do it, so again these are very important games, very tough games, because don’t underestimate Lesotho, maybe not on uality but on mentality.
“It is a team that fights for 90 minutes for every metre and certainly when they play against South Africa, they will do one step more, I’m sure of it.”
Lesotho coach Leslie Notsi on looking to upset South Africa:
“We’re saying, ‘look, as a small footballing country, here’s an opportunity to progress, to go in there, give it our all’. It’s an opportunity for our boys to improve, to get that international exposure, which I believe they cherish.
“Our previous results in these qualifiers have been very encouraging. We go in there knowing that it’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to give our all.”
