The Crocodiles, ranked 149th in the world, will visit Polokwane’s Peter Mokaba Stadium for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the 1996 African champions.
With only one win in their last four matches, Leslie Notsi's side sits fourth in a group that includes Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and the Benin Republic.
The midfielder states that they will go all out to play their game without any expectations, as the pressure is on Bafana Bafana, who are considered the favourites.
"We are well prepared for South Africa, and we’re going out there to play our game and make our country proud," Letsema told Flashscore.com in a no-holds-barred exclusive.
"Nonetheless, we have nothing to lose against them, which makes us a very difficult team to face, especially since we’re the underdogs.
"We don’t lack ambition, but to be honest with ourselves, we are playing the qualifiers not to compete for a spot, but to gain more experience for the future.
"Regardless, I want to say that the mentality of my teammates is positive. We will fight for everything and aim to keep improving on the international stage.
"If the World Cup ticket comes our way, we will certainly embrace it."
Lesotho and South Africa have a long-standing history of facing each other in international football.
Their latest meeting, a 0-0 draw in an international friendly in January 2024, underscores the competitive spirit of both teams.
According to Letsema, Bafana Bafana may be a strong team, but the Crocodiles will not be a pushover.
“We are no strangers to the South African team, having played against them several times. It’s not going to be an easy game for us, but we are prepared for the worst.
“Lesotho have shown glimpses of what we are capable of in previous matches, with a draw against Nigeria and the away victory we recorded in Zimbabwe.”
Echoing the midfielder's sentiment, coach Notsi stated that the upcoming encounter will be highly anticipated and promises to be a great clash between the two neighbouring countries.
He said: “I think this is a match that is highly anticipated by the supporters as you know we are neighbouring countries so it's not usual that we play often and people are looking forward to the game, which we believe is going to be a very great encounter,” said the former goalkeeper.
“Playing one of the best teams in our region and in Africa a as a whole having some of the best talented players with one of the shrewd coaches around, so it's going to be a very tough encounter which we believe we have to dig deep to put up a very good competitive game.”
Four days after the crucial tie against South Africa, Lesotho will face Rwanda next in Kigali.
On the other hand, South Africa's coach, Broos, stated that winning at home would put his side in a promising position.
“As everybody knows, we have important games in front of us. It’s a key moment, I said that already before, if we can achieve two victories against Lesotho and Benin, then I think we can make a big step in qualification, certainly also taking account the other games in the group,” the Belgian coach told CAF website.
“First up we have Lesotho on Friday. Lesotho is a team that fights for each other. They fight for each other, they fight for each meter and every ball, and they are playing against South Africa.
“So, I think they will try to do something more against South Africa and against other teams. So again, it will be a tough game.
“And then we have the game outside of the country against Benin. The only advantage we have here is that Benin are playing in Ivory Coast, so a big crowd and their supporters will not be there. That is a little advantage for us.”
