Bloemfontein, South Africa — Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are on life support after the Super Eagles failed to secure a crucial victory against South Africa, drawing 1-1 in a tense match on Tuesday evening. The result leaves the team with an almost impossible mountain to climb, as they are now at risk of missing the World Cup for the second time in a row.
The Super Eagles’ struggles were evident from the start. Playing without their star striker, Victor Osimhen, the team looked disjointed and suffered an early setback when defender Ola Aina was forced off with an injury. The defensive woes continued when captain William Troost-Ekong scored an own goal, putting South Africa in the lead.
Just before halftime, Calvin Bassey offered a glimmer of hope, heading in a superb equalizer. However, despite dominating the second half and creating numerous chances, the Nigerian attack, led by Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, and Tolu Arokodare, could not find the winning goal.
With only two matches left in the campaign, Nigeria sits on just 11 points, a significant six points behind Group C leaders, Bafana Bafana. This draws puts the Super Eagles on the brink of another disappointing exit, raising serious questions about the team’s path forward.
