Leslie Notsi, head coach of Lesotho, says he is certain his squad can withstand the pressure of the Super Eagles and their supporters in their 2026 World Cup qualifier on Thursday 16th Nov in Uyo.
In their opening match of the qualifiers, Nigeria takes on Lesotho at Godswill Akpabio Stadium. The Super Eagles, who were not included in the previous FIFA World Cup, are the most expected to win.
The 59-year-old is aware of the skill of the three-time African champions, but he is hoping his team can produce some positive results.
‘“Our expectation is to have a tough match and we are taking this opportunity as a young football nation to get the exposure experience. We have young and talented players who are eager to learn and grow so we are here to honour the fixture with a competitive mindset.
“Most of the players we have are from our developmental teams and I must also give credit to our league which has enabled us national team coaches to pick easily. We are coming here to take the opportunity of playing one of the best teams on the continent.
“We know the support will be there, and we will see how we perform under tremendous pressure because I think that will be a sign of how we have improved. We know it’s going to be tough but we will play our best.”
On Tuesday, Lesotho arrived in Uyo, a day before their match, and had a training session at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Wednesday.
In their history, the Crocodiles have failed to qualify for either the FIFA World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations.
The following teams are in Group C of the USA, Canada, Mexico 2026 World Cup qualifiers: South Africa, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Benin Republic.
