Duro Ikhazuagbe
Only one route is now left for Nigeria’s Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after teams in the race have already secured the slots reserved for the four best runners up in the African qualifying series to go for the intercontinental playoffs.
As at yesterday, the first of the Match-day 9 fixtures ensured that Gabon (19 points; Madagascar (19 points); Burkina Faso (18 points); and Cameroon (18 points) have all surpassed the maximum points that the Super Eagles can achieve even if they win their two remaining matches against Lesotho on Friday and Benin Republic on Tuesday to finish on 17 points!
It therefore means that the only way left for Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 World Cup will be to win Group C despite leaders Benin and South Africa three points clear of them.
With the Group C ticket now in the views of Benin Republic and South Africa both on 14 points before their next two matches, Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup appears over. Only miracle can now make either South Africa or Benin to drop points in their next two games for Nigeria to profit. The coast is even clearer for the Bafana Bafana who are playing their next two games against Zimbabwe and Rwanda at home. They are to play Zimbabwe in Durban on Friday before wrapping up with Rwanda at the same venue on Tuesday to end up with possible 20 points if Bafana Bafana win both games.
Benin’s Cheetahs are not sure of what will happen in Uyo on Tuesday.
Despite this glaring second back-to-back World Cup miss staring the players in the faces, team handler, Eric Chelle, continued to tinker with the team’s preparations to play Lesotho in Polokwane, South Africa yesterday.
A total of 20 Super Eagles’ players took part in the second training session on Wednesday in Polokwane, ahead of Friday’s World Cup qualifying match against the Crocodiles of Lesotho.
Portugal-based defender Zaidu Sanusi and Spain-based forward Jerome Akor Adams joined the other 18 players in the team’s The Ranch Hotel base on Tuesday night to bring the squad to 20.
United States of America-based midfielder Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi is expected to land in South Africa today to bring the list to 21 for the fixture against Lesotho.
Chelle has had to tinker the team following injuries to defender Bright Osayi-Samuel and forward Cyriel Dessers, bringing in Sanusi and Crystal Palace of England’s Christantus Uche. Injury to wing-back Felix Agu had cut the squad from 23 to 22.
Russia-based former junior international Olakunle Olusegun is yet to be issued with an entry visa into South Africa, meaning Nigeria could probably prosecute the encounter with 21 players.
All the 2nd Placed Teams
Team. P. GD. PTS. W
1.Gabon. 8. 10. 19. 6
2.Madagascar 9. 8. 19. 6
3.Burkina Faso. 9. 13. 18. 5
4.Cameroon. 9. 12. 18. 5
5. Congo DR. 8. 7. 16. 5
6.Namibia. 8. 8. 15. 4
7.Uganda. 8. 5. 15. 5
8.South Africa. 8. 3. 14. 4
9.Tanzania. 8. 0. 11. 3