How South Africa vs Lesotho clash could determine Nigeria's World Cup destiny

• Bafana Bafana volition big Lesotho astatine Peter Mokaba Stadium connected Friday astatine 6pm successful their CAF qualification Group C qualifiers
• South Africa person appeared successful the FIFA World Cup 3 times: successful 1998, 2002, and arsenic hosts successful 2010
• The Super Eagles of Nigeria are presently successful 5th presumption with 4 points successful the aforesaid radical arsenic Bafana Bafana

South Africa are eyeing their 4th quality astatine the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Bafana Bafana beryllium successful 2nd spot with 7 points (same arsenic Rwanda) owed to a extremity quality successful the CAF qualification Group C.

The Southern Africa squad plans to situation the Wasps for the apical slot aft the planetary break.

South Africa caput manager Hugo Broos said his squad volition not underrate Lesotho successful their World Cup qualifiers connected Friday. Photo by: SIA KAMBOU/AFP.
Source: Getty Images

Broos chasing glory astatine home

South Africa manager Hugo Broos stated that his players volition physique connected the momentum from their AFCON qualifiers to tackle the World Cup qualifiers.

According to Guardian, the 72-year-old emphasised that his squad volition not underestimate Lesotho successful their upcoming lucifer connected Friday.

The Belgian manager believes his broadside is successful a beardown presumption to unafraid maximum points.

He noted that with back-to-back wins against Uganda (away) and South Sudan (home) past November, Bafana Bafana cannot beryllium stopped. He said via African Football:

“These are precise important games, precise pugnacious games due to the fact that don’t underestimate Lesotho, possibly not connected prime but connected mentality.“It is simply a squad that fights for 90 minutes for each metre, and surely erstwhile they play against South Africa, they volition bash 1 measurement more, I’m definite of it.”

In head-to-head statistics, South Africa and Lesotho person faced disconnected 13 times crossed each competitions, including the locally-based African Nations Championship, since 1995.

Bafana Bafana has won 7 of these encounters, portion Likuena has secured 3 victories, with 3 matches ending successful draws.

The teams' astir caller gathering was successful the COSAFA Cup successful July 2021, wherever South Africa claimed a 4-0 triumph successful a radical signifier lucifer successful Port Elizabeth, highlighted by a hat-trick from Victor Letsoalo.

If South Africa wins their brushwood against Lesotho, they volition person 10 points which volition marque it hard for the Super Eagles to summation each six points successful their World Cup qualifiers.

Bafana Bafana played a 1-1 gully against Nigeria successful Uyo, followed by a 3-1 location triumph implicit Zimbabwe per TnT Sports.

Hugo Broos is eyeing South Africa's 4th World Cup quality astatine the 2026 World Cup. Photo by: SIA KAMBOU/AFP.
Source: Getty Images

Rohr makes Group C prediction

Benin Republic manager Gernot Rohr has stated that South Africa stands a amended accidental of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

The German manager besides acknowledged that portion the Super Eagles are favourites, they person not lived up to expectations. He said via NationSports:

“South Africa and Nigeria are the favourites successful this Group C, and I rather agree. “They tin triumph the radical erstwhile you look astatine the prime of their players, adjacent though immoderate of them are not adjacent playing regularly (with their clubs) due to the fact that they are not acceptable enough.

The Bafana Bafana person scored six goals and conceded 5 goals successful 4 matches.

Broos' optimism connected Nigeria’s qualification chances

Legit.ng earlier reported that South Africa’s caput coach, Hugo Broos remains convinced that the Super Eagles person the prime to bounce back.

Broos expressed his astonishment astatine Nigeria’s presumption successful the radical and predicted a resurgence successful the adjacent circular of qualifiers.

Nigeria’s upcoming matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe volition beryllium crucial, arsenic they look to adjacent the spread connected their rivals.

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Source: Legit.ng