A moment of pure drama saw Lesotho snatch a late 1-0 victory over rivals Zimbabwe in their final Group C match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign on Monday evening at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Substitute Hlompho Kalake proved to be the hero for Likuena, breaking Zimbabwean hearts with a spectacular strike in stoppage time.
Read: Lyle Foster Urges Bafana to Focus on Must-Win Rwanda Clash
Match Highlights: Kalake’s Late Heroics
The match was a tight, tense affair that seemed destined for a goalless draw.
Early Exchanges Favored Zimbabwe: The Warriors began the game with better possession and created the first clear chance in the eighth minute. However, Lesotho goalkeeper Sekhoane Moerane recovered quickly after fumbling a shot from Walter Musona.
Lesotho Grows into the Game: As the first half wore on, Likuena found their footing, forcing Zimbabwe’s keeper, Elvis Chipezeze, into a good double-save to deny Mphale Mphalaole on the half-hour mark. The teams went into the break locked at 0-0.
Missed Chances Prove Costly: Zimbabwe started the second half strongly, and the hour mark presented them with their best chance of the match. With Moerane beaten, Bill Antonio was through on goal, but a magnificent, goal-saving clearance by defender Motlomelo Mkwanazi denied the Warriors a potential lead.
Zimbabwe was made to pay for that missed opportunity in the cruellest fashion. Deep into stoppage time, fellow substitute Neo Mokhachane teed up Hlompho Kalake. Kalake took aim from outside the box and unleashed a sublime shot that soared past Chipezeze, securing a memorable 1-0 victory for Lesotho.
Group C Standings and Future Prospects
The late goal ensured that Lesotho ended a mixed qualifying campaign on a high note, moving them to fourth place in the final Group C standings. Having already failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, The Crocodiles can now use the upcoming FIFA international breaks to organize friendlies and build momentum for future campaigns.
Conversely, the defeat cemented a miserable campaign for Zimbabwe. The Warriors finish their qualification efforts in sixth place in the group standings, the only team in the group to finish without a single win. Like Lesotho, they will now turn their attention to international friendlies as they prepare for the 2025 AFCON in December.
CAF World Cup Qualifiers Round-Up: Day 9 Results
Monday’s fixtures provided a mix of results across the continent as the qualification group stage nears its conclusion. Key outcomes from October 13:
South Sudan 0-0 Togo
Tunisia 3-0 Namibia
Equatorial Guinea 1-1 Liberia
Sao Tome & Principe 1-0 Malawi
Mauritius 0-0 Libya
Cameroon 0-0 Angola
Cape Verde 3-0 Eswatini
Lesotho 1-0 Zimbabwe
Awaiting the Final Day
Matchday 10 will bring the group stage to a close on Tuesday, October 14, with 11 fixtures still to be played. The focus will be on the race for the automatic qualification spots.
Senegal and Ivory Coast are among the continental giants chasing to secure their place. Furthermore, Group C—which includes the likes of Benin, Nigeria, and South Africa—is set to go down to the wire in a three-way battle for the top spot.