Bafana go top of group C with comfortable World Cup qualifier win over Lesotho

Bafana Bafana are closer to qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup after two second-half goals by youngsters Relebohile Mofokeng and Jayden Adams earned them a crucial 2-0 win against a stubborn Lesotho at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday.

Bafana struggled to take their chances before Mofokeng scored on the hour mark and Adams doubled South Africa's lead in the 64th minute.

The victory moved Bafana to ten points, two clear of Benin who surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 against Zimbabwe in Durban on Thursday.

Rwanda, who like Bafana started the fifth round on seven points, were beaten 2-0 by Nigeria in their own back yard and that result has handed an advantage to Hugo Broos' men.

Bafana have to beat Benin in Ivory Coast on Tuesday to remain on top of the group with four qualifying matches against Nigeria, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Rwanda coming later in the year.

Bafana struggled to take their chances with Lyle Foster, Percy Tau, Mofokeng, Adams and Nkosinathi Sibisi missing good chances to score in the first half.

Lesotho were not ambitious enough to attack Bafana despite that they had a chance to go top of the group with eight points had they won.

Supported by a sold-out crowd, Bafana's patience finally paid off in the 60th minute when winger Elias Mokwana cut Lesotho's defence open before laying a good pass for Mofokeng to score his first goal in a Bafana shirt in the first match that he started from scratch.

Adams rewarded coach Broos for bringing him back into the team, also scoring his first goal in a Bafana shirt to give the South African team a huge boost and a chance to qualify for the global showpiece for the first time since 2002.

Bafana appeared in the 1998, 2002 and 2010 World Cups, the latter which was hosted by South Africa.

With Tuesday's match taking place in Benin, Bafana have a good chance to stay at the top if they grab another victory which will be their fourth in six matches.

Though Broos was forced due to injuries to make changes to his starting XI, his team remained resolute and solid with the only concern being attackers like Tau and Foster who wasted some good opportunities to score more goals.