Bafana Bafana Continue Dominance as Likuena Wait for Setsoto’s Revival

The footballing rivalry between Lesotho’s Likuena and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana has tilted heavily in South Africa’s favour in recent years. In their last six encounters, South Africa has claimed four victories, Lesotho has managed a single win, and the two sides have shared one draw. Lesotho’s last triumph over their neighbors dates back to 28 July 2019, when Likuena stunned Bafana Bafana with a 3–2 victory in Maseru during the African Nations Championship qualifiers. That celebration was short-lived, however, as South Africa struck back just days later, cruising to a 3–0 victory on 4 August 2019.

A turning point came in 2021, when both CAF and FIFA banned the Setsoto Stadium from hosting international fixtures, citing its failure to meet essential infrastructure standards. This decision forced Lesotho to host “home” games across the border in South Africa, a costly arrangement that drained the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) and stripped local fans of the opportunity to cheer on their team at home. The effects were immediate. On 13 July 2021, Lesotho suffered a 4–0 defeat to South Africa at Nelson Mandela Bayy Stadium, underlining the challenge of competing without a true home advantage.

The two nations next met in a friendly match at Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium, another fixture hosted in South Africa. This time, Likuena held their own, grinding out a 0–0 stalemate, yet their struggles to convert such resilience into victories remained clear. In 2025, the rivalry intensified with two FIFA World Cup qualifying clashes. On 21 March 2025, South Africa prevailed 2–0 at Peter Mokaba Stadium, and their most recent meeting came just this week, on 5 September 2025, at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, where Bafana Bafana once again proved too strong, winning 3–0 thanks to goals from Mohau Nkota, Lyle Foster, and Oswin Appollis.

Since being forced to play all their fixtures away from home starting in 2021, Lesotho has never beaten South Africa. With South Africa enjoying a home advantage in every encounter, Likuena’s chances have been continually hampered, not only by the quality of the opposition but also by the lack of a proper stadium at home and the lack of home fans to support them. 

The prolonged closure of Setsoto Stadium has become a symbol of frustration for Lesotho’s football community. On 16 April 2025, the Minister of Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture, Motlatsi Maqelepo, announced that refurbishment work is targeted for completion before October 2026. Until then, fans will have to endure another year of watching their national team play “home” games away from home, while the players themselves continue to suffer from the absence of true home support.

For Lesotho, the rivalry with South Africa has become more than just a battle on the pitch, it is now a reflection of the country’s broader infrastructural struggles. Until Setsoto Stadium is rebuilt, refurbished and reopened, Likuena will remain disadvantaged, both competitively and emotionally, in one of Southern Africa’s most passionate football rivalries.