2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Again, Super Eagles Flops  Against Bafana Bafana

By Akinwale Kasali

The hope of the Super Eagles of Nigeria to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico hangs in the balance after a lackluster performance by the Nigeria National Team against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the African Qualifiers.

The three-time African Cup of Nations Champions struggled all through the match to get the ball inside the net, forcing their South African counterparts to a 1-1 draw.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru salvaged a draw for Nigeria having seen the Super Eagles go behind in the first half courtesy of a Themba Zwane strike mid way into the first half.

Nigeria soccer fans and enthusiasts have expressed disappointment over the poor performance of Super Eagles. Different posers are being raised over the technical ability of the Coach Finidi George led team.

With the draw, the Super Eagles in languishing in the Fifth position in the six Tteam log, with just three points in their last three games. The team played a 1-1 draw against Lesotho, Rwanda and South Africa.

Many Nigerians are scared that this could be a repeat of Qatar 2022 and Germany 2006 where the Super Eagles failed to get to the World Cup after making its maiden appearance at the World Showpiece in 1994.

Gbenga Atalese, a football analyst said that it is disappointing that a star- studded team like Nigeria could get a win on home soil against an home based South African team that has 98 percent of its players playing in its domestic league.

“It is a shame on Nigeria. We are toying the route that saw us miss the last World Cup. There is no creativity, no composure, the technical ability of the Coach is in doubt.

“I am disappointed. If we cannot beat Lesotho, Rwanda and South Africa, who then can we beat. We keep struggling and putting pressure on ourselves.

“What was Victor Boniface doing on the bench, with Paul Onuachu playing ahead of him, it is glaring that Coach Finidi doesn’t know what he is doing”, Atalese said.

Corroborating Atalese, Damilola Oluwaseun, a soccer enthusiast said he was really disappointed when he saw Onuachu starting ahead of Boniface, and queried the rationale behind Coach Finidi’s selection.

“Onuachu is a sluggish player and we saw his performance with Trabzonspor in the just concluded season, while Boniface was the star boy that propelled Bayer Leverkusen to its first Bundesliga title in over 110 years and you drop such prolific player for a lanky player that does not have bite in attack shows that our Coaching Crew are mediocres.

“Finidi is in the path to failure, they better sack him than us not going to the World Cup”.

The Super Eagles will slug it out with the Squirrels of Benin Republic in its Fourth match of the qualifying series and will unite with its former Coach, Gernot Rohr who salvaged a 1-0 win against the Amavubis of Rwanda in their qualification match to move to Third position in the log.

A failure to salvage a win for Nigeria shows that the team has a slim chance of making it to the World Cup.