Rwanda’s aspirations of securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup took a significant hit after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Lesotho at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Tuesday evening.
The result left the Amavubi with a missed opportunity to strengthen their position in Group C.
Adel Amrouche’s men took the lead just under the hour mark, thanks to Jojea Kwizera, who finished off a well-crafted team move. The assist came from Thierry Manzi, the Al Ahli Tripoli center-back. Despite pushing for another goal, Lesotho capitalized on a defensive mistake in the 82nd minute. Lethabo Fothoane was quick to pounce, firing home to bring the visitors level and deny the hosts all three points.
Despite the disappointment of letting the win slip away, the draw sees Rwanda hold onto second place in the group standings. As the international window comes to a close, Rwanda now has eight points from six matches in Group C, with four goals scored and as many conceded. While the result leaves them in a relatively strong position, they are now tied on points with Benin, with goal difference separating the two sides.
For Lesotho, the draw represents a missed chance to climb further up the table. The Likuena were hoping to close the gap on their rivals, but the stalemate leaves them with six points, dropping them to fifth place in the group. Although not a devastating result, it puts a dent in their World Cup qualification hopes, especially with scheduled appointments against South Africa and Nigeria on the horizon.
As the qualifiers progress, both Rwanda and Lesotho will need to regroup and focus on their remaining fixtures. Rwanda’s next match will be against Nigeria, while Lesotho will face South Africa, as both teams look to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
Meanwhile, Group C remains tightly contested, with South Africa leading the group with 13 points, creating an exciting race for the remaining qualification spots.