The goalkeeper and captain of the senior national team of Lesotho Sekhoane Benedict Moerane says his team will defeat the senior national team of Nigeria when both teams clash at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Lesotho will begin the quest to be at the 2026 World Cup with their first game of the series against the senior national team of Nigeria later today. Moerane is looking at the game with the hope of an upset which will favour his team.
Speaking at the pre match conference ahead of the game, Moerane said although the Super Eagles is a better team and are expected to win, they will approach the game with respect and not fear for their opponent.
“Looking forward to the game tomorrow (Thursday, November 16), I’ll say it will be a difficult game”, Sekhoane Moerane responded sharply.
He continued: “We’re going to play a big team, Nigeria, one of the best in Africa, but since its not the first time (we are) playing against Nigeria, I think tomorrow’s game is going to be a difficult game.
“We’re going to expect a lot from Nigeria. They are going to take the game to us. But as you can see in todays (Wednesday’s) opening group C games, it ended 0-0 between Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
“That’s the game of football for you. So, I think the Super Eagles gonna take the game to us in order for them to take the three points.
“So, we’re expecting a lot from them but we’re not going to respect them. Yeah, we’re not going to fear them. We, too, will be taking the game to them as well”, Moerane boasted.
When reminded about the start studded nature of the Nigerian team , he insist they will hold their own against the Super Eagles despite the fact that most of their players ply their trade in the local scene in Lesotho unlike the Nigerian team.
“We know that Super Eagles are a good team with a lot of players. They have only one player from the home league but we’ve got almost six from outside with majority of the rest playing in Lesotho, including myself.
So, may the better team win”.
Super Eagles claimed victory in all previous four confrontations with The Crocodiles. Moerane admits turning the tide especially in this fixture heaps loads of pressure on them.
“Yes, a lot of pressure, lots of pressure on our shoulders”, he admitted.
“But,I think tomorrow, we gonna bring the game to them (the Eagles). We are expecting to win and they (Super Eagles) to win too”.
He rounded up by saying that their expectatio I do be at the 2026 world cup. “We’re expecting to qualify for the World Cup 2026”, he concluded.
Ade Emmanuel
