The Super Eagles held their nerve in Polokwane, grinding out a tense 2–1 win over Lesotho to keep their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying hopes alive.
It was far from an impressive night for Eric Chelle’s men, but in the end, the result mattered more than the performance.
Super Eagles stay alive after nervy night in Polokwane
Nigeria’s breakthrough came through captain William Troost-Ekong, whose commanding spot kick gave the Super Eagles a vital lead.
Moments later, debutant Akor Adams doubled the advantage with a composed finish — marking a dream start to his international career.
Lesotho, however, refused to roll over. Their late goal set up a nervy finish, forcing Chelle’s side to defend with grit and discipline until the final whistle.
The victory takes Nigeria to 14 points, keeping them within touching distance of Benin Republic, who lead Group C after edging Rwanda 1–0 in Kigali.
South Africa remain second on 15 points following a frustrating goalless draw with Zimbabwe.
“For Nigeria we need to go to the World Cup” — Chelle
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Eric Chelle expressed both relief and determination after what he described as a pressure-filled contest.
”Today we are happy because we won the three points; we are still alive. I’m happy for my players; I want to congratulate them. For us, we’ve been feeling the pressure since March, and when my players come to camp, they feel the pressure because for Nigeria we need to go to the World Cup, so we have lots of pressure, so maybe other teams will have some pressure too.”
The Super Eagles’ qualification push has been marked by intensity, expectation, and a reminder of what World Cup football means to millions of Nigerians.
Chelle has also issued a passionate appeal to the fans ahead of the crucial decider against Benin Republic in Uyo on Tuesday.
“We need to have our fans behind us to put pressure on Benin. This is the World Cup qualifier, so this game starts when they put their feet in our country. We need to do the job on the pitch.”
A victory could put the Super Eagles back in control, while anything less would leave their fate hanging in the balance.
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