2027 AFCON: Moerane outlines Lesotho approach to Seychelles game

Lesotho national team captain Sekhoane Moerane has urged his teammates to draw lessons from previous assignments when hosting Seychelles in South Africa on Thursday.

The skipper made the call ahead of Likuena’s home preliminary round first leg match in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying race. The game will take place at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.

Likuena move up nine places in FIFA rankings
The Lesotho Football Association Senior National team, Likuena has moved-up nine places in the latest FIFA rankings following impressive displays against Nigeria and Zimbabwe. pic.twitter.com/WYxEpoW1Lk

— Lesotho Football Association (@FootballLesotho) October 20, 2025

Moerane recalled a previous meeting with Seychelles in the preliminary round of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, in which Likuena advanced via a 3-1 aggregate score.

How Lesotho performed in previous game with Seychelles

“If I recall well, we played them in the preliminary round in 2022, where they held us to a goalless draw in the first leg, but we managed to beat them on aggregate,” the goalkeeper told Lesotho Football Association website.

“I know sometimes when we play against teams that are seen as minnows, we tend to relax and don’t do well like we have done against powerhouses such as Nigeria, but we need to fight to get the results we want.

How Lesotho want to approach game against Seychelles

The Lesotho skipper shared what the coaches have told them going into the first leg match.

“One of the things that the coach has emphasized is to be clinical in front of goals because we are known for being good at defending and enjoying possession but not taking our chances to win matches,” he said.

“So, if us as players can execute the instructions we have been given, I have no doubt that we will win.”

Moerane stressed the need for a right approach to the islanders aware that anything can happen in the return match.

“We just need to fight and give it our all,” the captain added.

“I know there is pressure because most of the people are saying, Lesotho has to win but looking at our previous game which ended in a one-all draw, that simply says, they are no pushover and we need to fight as a team.”

The overall winner between Lesotho and Seychelles will secure a spot in the group phase of the AFCON finals which Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya will co-host in 2027.