Rwanda took the driver’s seat in Group C of the CAF 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this week, following their 1-0 win against Likuena at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The match started evenly during the first 10 minutes, but Rwanda began to gain momentum after the 20-minute mark, displaying increasingly effective attacking movements. However, they were consistently thwarted by aggressive defending from Likuena.
Despite several set-plays inside Rwanda’s half and numerous missed chances by Likuena to take the lead, the game remained goalless approaching the half-hour mark. Rwanda also found themselves frequently probing the Likuena defense but without success.
The breakthrough came for Rwanda on the stroke of half-time. Jodea Kwizera scored after a clever interplay on the right side of the box, with right-back Fitina Omborenga providing a precise pass to Kwizera, who calmly finished with his left foot from the edge of the six-yard area.
Amavubi (Rwanda) maintained their attacking approach after the halftime break, looking particularly dangerous in wide areas. In contrast, Likuena focused on congesting their box in an attempt to fend off Rwanda’s relentless attacks.
As the 75th minute approached, Likuena were in desperate need of a goal, but their lackluster attacks posed no threat to Rwanda’s defense. The game fizzled out as it neared the 90th minute, with neither side able to capitalize on their scoring opportunities.
Ultimately, Kwizera’s lone goal was enough for Rwanda to secure maximum points, moving them to the top of Group C with 7 points. Likuena, on the other hand, dropped to fourth place with 5 points after four matches.
Likuena Head Coach Leslie Notsi acknowledged his team’s missed chances against Rwanda. “I think there was a lot of anxiety amongst some of our players, especially upfront. We had goal-scoring opportunities, but we were not clinical,” he said. Despite the loss, Notsi was able to look on the brighter side of things. “There were a lot of good things that came out of this match for us. As I said in a previous interview before the game, we are a work in progress. So we are satisfied with how we are handling our matches in terms of performance and the way the boys conducted themselves under pressure,” he concluded.
The defeat to Rwanda marked Likuena’s first setback since the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers last year. Likuena began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Nigeria’s Super Eagles, followed by a goalless draw against Benin, then a 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe, and now the loss against Rwanda. Likuena will resume their World Cup qualifiers on March 19, 2025, against neighbours, South Africa.
Former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane also praised Likuena in a radio interview with Metro FM. “Lesotho has been evolving this whole time,” he said. “They have been a difficult team to play against, now they have confidence and they’ve got nothing to lose but everything to gain.” Mosimane concluded his remarks
The Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) has invested significantly to ensure Likuena’s participation in the World Cup and COSAFA qualifiers. General Secretary of LeFA, Mokhosi Mohapi, explained that the association spent M1.95 million for Likuena to play the matches against Zimbabwe and Rwanda in South Africa. Due to the lack of suitable stadiums in Lesotho, including the country’s main stadium, Setsoto Stadium, which fails to meet international standards, Likuena will continue to host games in South Africa. Additionally, LeFA paid M310,000 for COSAFA registration, excluding transportation and accommodation costs. In total, LeFA has spent M2.26 million on Likuena in just a few days.
