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Bafana move two points clear at the top of World Cup qualifying Group C.
Relebohile Mofokeng made his first start and scored his first goal for Bafana Bafnaa against Lesotho on Friday. Picture: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
A relentless Bafana Bafana finally broke through stubborn Lesotho resistance on Friday, with a 2-0 victory in a 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The win moves Hugo Broos’ side two points clear of Benin at the top of Group C. The pair will face off in the Ivory Coast on Tuesday, where another three points will put Bafana in a brilliant position to qualify for the World Cup.
It took an hour for Bafana to find a way past Dikwena. But they have to take credit for never panicking against a side that seemed content with a point from the off. Both of Bafana’s goalscorers, Relebohile Mofokeng and Jayden Adams had never scored for their country before in a senior international.
The pattern of play was set from the first whistle, with Bafana probing and Lesotho employing a low block to keep them at bay.
In front of an excellent crowd in Polokwane, Bafana were guilty of lacking a killer instinct in the first half.
In the eighth minute, a superb pass from Teboho Mokoena sent Mofokeng in behind the Dikwena defencer. Mofokeng’s first touch was superb. But he stumbled and put his finish wide of target.
Lyle Foster then found Mofokeng on the edge of the box in the 15th minute. The Pirates star spun superbly away from his man. His shot, however, was straight at Sekhoane Moerane in the Lesotho goal.
Lesotho were giving the ball away far too often but Bafana could not capitalise.
In one such instance Mofokeng found Percy Tau inside the area. But he lashed a shot into the side netting.
Lesotho’s only real chance of the first half came as Jayden Adams brought down Katleho Makateng on the edge of the box. Tshwarelo Bareng stepped up but curled his free kick wide of the post.
In the 35th minute, Percy Tau’s corner was headed towards goal by Nkosinathi Sibisi. But there was not enough power on Sibisi’s effort. And Lesotho had plenty of players on the line to clear the danger.
Another cross then fell to Mofokeng, but he again fired straight at Moerane.
Adams fired wide from outside the box and Mokoena curled a free kick just over the bar, after Mofokeng was brought down.
A minute before the break, Khuliso Mudau’s cross fell to Foster unmarked and a few meters from goal. But he also headed wide.
Foster was desperately unlucky a couple of minutes after the break, as he played a near one-two with Tau. His shot struck the inside of the post, hit the back of Moerane and came back off the other post.
In the 51st minute, Foster played a brilliant cutback for Mofokeng, whose shot was saved by Moerane.
Bafana were missing so many chances that it just felt like they might get hit by a Lesotho sucker punch. And it nearly came when Neo Mokhalhane sent in a cross that Siyabonga Ngezana did well to steer for a corner.
Instead it was Mofokeng who gave Bafana the lead in the 61st minute. Elias Mokwana did brilliantly to cut in from the right hand side and slide a pass to Mofokeng, who on his first Bafana start this time made no mistake.
Bafana’s lead was nearly doubled a minute later as Moerane’s clearance struck Tau and cannoned back off the post.
And the second goal did come in the 64th minute as Adams’ first effort was blocked but the ball fell straight back into the midfielder’s path and he fired home to send the Bafana bench into wild celebrations.
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