Super Eagles of Nigeria, on Thursday, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, showed that they did not learn anything from their failure to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar when they huffed and puffed, only to hold lowly rated Lesotho to a 1-1 draw in their opening game of the 2026 World Cup qualifying series.
When the draw that pitted the Super Eagles against South Africa, Lesotho, Benin Republic, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe was made, many pundits believed the group was Nigeria’s for the taking.
The logic was simple: in the history of African football, these countries have never posed any threat to the Super Eagles. Head-to-head, Nigeria held the edge and with such tested players all over Europe, the belief was that only a disaster would cost the Eagles another ticket to the World Cup.
It is still early days, though, but from yesterday’s performance in Uyo, the Super Eagles need drastic changes to realise their 2026 dream.
Yesterday, Lesotho, ranked 113 places below Nigeria by FIFA, was the better team in the early minutes of the game, but the Super Eagles rallied from the 20th minute to dominate a first half that ended goalless.
As if they read the Super Eagles’ game plan (or lack of it), the Southern Africans came out in full force in the second stanza, with their wingers dictating their forays into Nigeria’s defence line. The first ominous sign by the Lesotho came in the 53rd minute when they raced towards Francis Uzoho’s goal and were poised to pull the trigger, only for Calvin Bassey to read the plot and avert the danger.
However, there was no stopping the Crocodiles in the 56th minute when they caught Super Eagles’ defenders napping.
A cross was played into Nigeria’s area; the defenders failed to deal with it, leaving Motlomelo Mkwanazi ample chance to head home and give the visitors the lead.
Not many inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, were surprised by the turn of events, as the Crocodiles showed by their movement on and off the ball that they were better conditioned for the game than their hosts.
Stung by the visitors’ goal, Coach Jose Peseiro made some changes in his attacking formation, taking off Taiwo Awoniyi and Lookman for Moses Simon and Terem Moffi, but the Crocodiles held their own until the 68th minute when defender, Semi Ajayi, walked up from the back to nod in the equaliser.
The goal came from one of Nigeria’s 11 corner kicks up till that moment. Iheanacho took the corner and found Ajayi and the West Brom man just placed a beautiful header into the Lesotho goal.
Thereafter, Peseiro threw in Joe Aribo and Bruno Onyemaechi in place of Frank Onyeka and Jamiu Collins, as the Super Eagles went in search of the winner, but they found the Southern Africans’ defence difficult to breach again until the final whistle.
Nigeria will play Zimbabwe in their next game in Rwanda on Sunday, while Lesotho will host Benin Republic.
Nigeria, Lesotho, Rwanda and Zimbabwe are all on one point apiece as the group’s first game between Rwanda and Zimbabwe on Wednesday ended in a goalless draw. South Africa and Benin Republic will meet on Saturday.
