Lesotho vs Benin Prediction: Rohr’s men expected to get the job done

The competition for a spot in the 2023 World Cup intensifies in Group C as Lesotho and Benin face each other at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday. This marks only the third encounter between the two teams, with the Cheetahs securing one win and one draw during their clashes in Group L of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers back in November 2020.

Lesotho showcased an impressive team performance, securing a commendable 1-1 draw against a star-studded Nigeria side in the Group C curtain-raiser last Thursday. Despite being on the defensive for most of the game, Lesotho managed to score against the run of play as Motlomelo Mkwanazi broke the deadlock in the 56th minute. However, Semi Ajayi equalized 11 minutes later, resulting in a shared outcome. While Leslie Notsi can be pleased with his team's result, it's worth noting that Lesotho has now been winless in their last three matches, with one draw and two losses, including a 1-0 defeat against Zambia in the COSAFA Cup final in July. The Crocodiles also suffered a 1-0 defeat against Ivory Coast in their final game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, finishing at the bottom of Group H with just one point from six matches.

Benin faced a setback in the opening match of the World Cup qualifiers, suffering a 2-1 defeat at the hands of South Africa on Saturday. Percy Tau and Khuliso Mudau scored first-half goals, guiding Bafana Bafana to secure all three points at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. Despite Steve Mounie halving the deficit in the 70th minute, it was not enough to secure points for the Cheetahs. This result follows a disappointing AFCON qualifying campaign where Benin won just one of their six matches in Group B, finishing third with five points from a possible 18. Additionally, Benin has failed to qualify for the last two editions of the AFCON tournament, with their most recent appearance in 2019 when they reached the quarter-finals but lost 1-0 against eventual runners-up Senegal. Gernot Rohr's team has struggled to secure victories, as they have now gone winless in their last 13 matches across all competitions, with eight losses and five draws since a 4-0 friendly victory over Liberia in March 2022.

Lesotho and Benin, both aiming to conclude a challenging year on a positive note, will face each other on Tuesday. Gernot Rohr's men have been unbeaten in their last two encounters against Lesotho, and the expectation is for them to secure all three points on Tuesday, albeit by a narrow margin.