The two sides will battle it out for a spot in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, for the continental showpiece which will be next hosted in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. While the games are being played on neutral ground, Lesotho are considered the favourites and are expected to enjoy strong support. The Pirates of Seychelles, meanwhile, are chasing a place in the AFCON finals for the first time in their history.

These matches are also vitally important for the stadium in terms of its FIFA status. Due to the international fixtures at the venue, the Toyota Cheetahs’ SA Cup home game against Eastern Province on Saturday has been moved to Shimla Park on the University of the Free State campus.

Seychelles have been in camp since the beginning of the month, and with all their players plying their trade in the domestic league, preparations have been relatively smooth. Captain and goalkeeper Ian Ah-Kong told OFM that this continuity gives them a valuable edge heading into the clash.

“We have an advantage because most of us play together in the Seychelles, so we understand each other’s strengths and style of play,” said Ah-Kong.

Likuena preparing for the captain's run at the Toyota Stadium. Photo: Morgan Piek

“That made it easier to come together as a group in a short preparation period. As a small country, every game is important to us - we’re aiming to improve our ranking and get better results.

“We’ll give everything we’ve prepared and go all out to win the game.”

New Likuena coach Bob Mafoso, who takes charge of the Lesotho mens national team for the first time, told OFM Sport that while they can draw confidence from past performances - including a draw away to Nigeria in FIFA World Cup qualifying and a strong showing against Bafana Bafana - they will need to be at their best.

“We need to use our past experiences to become a better team,” said Mafoso.

“If a large portion of the squad remains from the group that failed to qualify, then those moments should serve as preparation for this campaign. As a nation, we have to grow by learning from playing against stronger opponents so that we can perform better in the next qualifying rounds.

“Although tomorrow is technically an away game, it feels like a home fixture for us. We’re familiar with the stadium and will have good local support from people we interact with daily. That gives us some advantage, but we still need to respect the game and the opposition.

Ian Ah-Kong. Photo: Morgan Piek

“There’s pressure on us to perform at a high level across all phases - defence, set plays, and in possession we must be effective in creating chances.

“It’s the kind of match where we need to stay sharp, remain disciplined, and deliver a complete performance.”

Thursday’s first leg between Seychelles and Lesotho at Toyota Stadium is scheduled to kick off at 16:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cvdw