Zimbabwe suffered a setback in their 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Group C campaign after losing 2-0 to Lesotho in Friday’s matchday three encounter at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. The defeat leaves the Warriors at the bottom of the table with two points from three matches, making their path to qualification increasingly challenging.

The match began with Zimbabwe starting strong, controlling the early pace. However, they failed to create meaningful opportunities, and Lesotho capitalized on quick breaks. Rethabile Rasethuntsa headed home in the 21st minute, and Jane Thabantso doubled the lead ten minutes later. Despite efforts from Zimbabwe, including Tawanda Chirewa’s debut and a woodwork denial, Lesotho secured their first World Cup Qualifiers win in over a decade.

The loss puts Zimbabwe in a difficult position, but their World Cup dreams are not entirely extinguished. To revive their qualification hopes, they must win their remaining matches and rely on other results going their way.

Here are the possible scenarios for Zimbabwe to qualify:

– Win all remaining matches: Zimbabwe must win their upcoming matches against South Africa, Botswana, and Liberia to accumulate enough points.

– Depend on other results: They need Lesotho to drop points in their remaining matches, and South Africa to lose or draw some of their matches.

– Goal difference: If Zimbabwe win their remaining matches and other teams in the group have a similar number of points, goal difference could become a crucial tiebreaker.

While the chances are slim, Zimbabwe still has a mathematical possibility of qualifying for the World Cup. The next match against South Africa on Tuesday is crucial, and a win is essential to keep their qualification dreams alive.

The Warriors must regroup and improve their performance to overcome the setback. With determination and favorable results, Zimbabwe can still revive their World Cup hopes and make a comeback in the qualifiers.