Lehlohonolo Fothoane’s 82nd-minute goal for Lesotho canceled out Jojea Kwizera’s stunning opener for Rwanda, silencing the 45,000 fans who had filled the stadium for the FIFA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers Group C clash on March 25.
Rwanda, having won the first-leg encounter against Lesotho, entered the match eager to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to Nigeria just three days earlier at the same venue.
As they did against Nigeria, Rwandan fans turned up in large numbers to support Amavubi.
The home side dominated possession and finally broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when Jojea Kwizera, who had also scored in the first-leg win over Lesotho, controlled a long pass from Thierry Manzi before beating goalkeeper Sekhoane Moerane to send the crowd into celebration.
Despite maintaining possession, Rwanda’s attacking threat diminished as the game progressed. Lesotho took advantage, and in the 82nd minute, Lehlohonolo Fothoane struck the equalizer, silencing the home supporters.
The 1-1 draw, following the loss to Nigeria, has left Rwandan fans questioning the future of Adel Amrouche’s team, especially after his predecessor, Torsten Frank Spittler, had already won their hearts with his approach.
Rwanda currently sits second in Group C with eight points, trailing leaders South Africa (13 points). Up next, Amavubi will travel to Nigeria in September for a crucial qualifier.
