Super Eagles World Cup hopes fade as South Africa, Nigeria play 1-1 in Bloemfontein

Pius Ayinor

Nigeria’s Super Eagles look set to miss another World Cup in a back-to-back fashion after the game against South Africa ended in a 1-1 draw in Bloemfontein Tuesday night. Nigeria last played in the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

The automatic World Cup qualification chances for Nigeria got blown just as group leaders South Africa have firmly put a foot at the 2026 World Cup to be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The Super Eagles have poorly drawn five of their eight matches and have only beaten Rwanda – a win they only achieved four days earlier in Ugo, Nigeria.

The 1-1 result in Bloemfontein has put the Super Eagles in danger of missing out on even a play-off place. South Africa, on the other hand, are well placed to reach their first finals since they were hosts in 2010. In Bloemfontein, an own goal by Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and an equalizer from Calvin Bassey ended the game.

With two matches left to play in the group, Nigeria are 6 points behind South Africa who are topping Group C with 17 points, while the Super Eagles are on 11 points alongside Benin Republic who have a match at hand.