By Dayo Awoniyi
South Africa boosted their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification chances on Friday with a commanding 3–0 victory over Lesotho in Bloemfontein, a result that extended their lead at the top of Group C and heaped further pressure on rivals Nigeria.
Mohau Nkota opened the scoring in the 14th minute, cutting in from the right before curling a superb left-footed effort beyond goalkeeper Sekhoane Moerane. Despite Moerane’s string of saves, Bafana Bafana remained firmly in control throughout the first half.
The hosts pulled away after the restart. Lyle Foster doubled the advantage just past the hour mark with a composed finish inside the box, before Oswin Appollis added a third four minutes later with a dazzling solo run and strike that sealed the points.
Lesotho threatened sporadically through Kananelo Rapuleng and Motebang Sera, but goalkeeper Ronwen Williams stood firm to preserve South Africa’s clean sheet.
The win has reshaped the Group C standings. South Africa now lead with 16 points, followed by Benin on 11, while Nigeria sit fourth with 7, leaving the Super Eagles in desperate need of victory against Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday to keep their hopes alive.
Attention now shifts to Tuesday’s blockbuster clash in Bloemfontein, where South Africa will host Nigeria in what could prove decisive in the battle for the group’s sole automatic ticket to the 2026 finals in USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
