Preview: Lesotho vs Morocco - prediction, team news, lineups

Lesotho host Morocco in Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday in the second round of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Group A, with the Moroccan delegation having flown into South Africa via a refuelling stop in Douala, Cameroon, ahead of the fixture.

The Crocodiles are still searching for their first points having lost to Niger last Friday, while the Atlas Lions arrive full of confidence after a winning start to the campaign.

Match preview

Morocco opened their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over Gabon in Rabat last Friday, a result that extended the Atlas Lions' reputation as one of the continent's most consistent sides heading into this new qualifying cycle.

Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, while Soufiane Rahimi scored the second goal in the 84th minute to end any hopes of a Gabonese comeback.

Morocco, who hosted the AFCON and were later awarded the title following a CAF ruling, are looking to make it to the tournament proper again, with hopes of adding to their two titles, the first of which came in 1976.

The Atlas Lions finished the last AFCON qualifying group campaign with a perfect record of six wins from six matches, in a group that had Lesotho as well, with the North Africans scoring eight goals across both legs against the Crocodiles.

Morocco secured a 1-0 win in the first leg, before thrashing the Southern African side 7-0, a feat they will be hoping to repeat as they look to remain first in a group that also has Niger.

Lesotho, for their part, opened their own campaign with a 2-1 defeat away at Niger, a result that continued a difficult recent run for the national side who have now lost consecutive games.

The Southern Africans conceded two goals in the last seven minutes of the first half, with Daniel Sosah and Oumar Sako scoring for Niger, before Sera Motebang halved the deficit from the spot in the 85th minute.

That defeat extended a troubling sequence in which the Crocodiles have won just once in their last seven matches, drawing three and losing three others, form that has done little to suggest they can trouble a Moroccan side of considerably higher quality.

Lesotho struggled in the last Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, finishing bottom of their group having scored only twice while conceding 13 goals across the whole section, with over half of those goals coming against Morocco.

Lesotho Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:

Lesotho form (all competitions):

Morocco Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:

Morocco form (all competitions):

Team News

Lesotho have no reported fitness concerns following the defeat to Niger, with the same group of players who featured in that match expected to be involved again on Tuesday.

Motebang is expected to lead the line again, with the home side likely lining up in a back five, with captain Sekhoane Moerane between the sticks.

Morocco were without captain Achraf Hakimi and Ismael Saibari for the win over Gabon through CAF suspension but both are now available for selection after serving their bans.

However, the Atlas Lions remain without Ayoub El Kaabi, Chadi Riad, Youssef Belammari, Youssef En-Nesyri and Hamza Igamane, who are all injured.

Lesotho possible starting lineup:

Moerane; Falene, Makhetha, Makhele, Mokokoane, Koaeane; Mokhachane, Toloane, Fethoane, Sefali; Motebang

Morocco possible starting lineup:

Bounou; Mazraoui, Aguerd, Diop, Maamar; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui; Yassine, Ounahi, Ezzalzouli; Zabiri

We say: Lesotho 0-3 Morocco

We expect Morocco's quality to tell heavily once again, with Lesotho's ongoing struggles in front of goal and a defence that ships a lot of goals, likely to be exposed for a second time by the same opponent.

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