The Super Eagles’ hopes of securing a 2026 World Cup spot suffered a setback on Tuesday as Zimbabwe held Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in a tense qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Akwa Ibom. The result left Nigeria frustrated as they were unable to capitalize on their earlier win over Rwanda, with time running out in their bid to qualify for next year’s tournament.
Victor Osimhen had given Nigeria a glimmer of hope in the 74th minute, scoring a well-taken goal off a low cross from Simon Moses. The striker’s header at the far post looked to have sealed a vital win for the Super Eagles, but Zimbabwe was not to be outdone. In dramatic fashion, the Warriors struck back in the 90th minute, equalizing with a well-executed goal that silenced the home crowd and dashed Nigeria’s hopes of a crucial three points.
Nigeria entered the match with renewed optimism after a 2-0 victory over Rwanda on Friday, which had provided a much-needed boost to their World Cup qualification campaign. However, despite dominating possession and creating a flurry of chances in the first half, the Super Eagles found it difficult to break down a resilient Zimbabwean defense. The Warriors, led by goalkeeper Washington Arubi and their backline, kept Nigeria at bay for most of the match, frustrating the hosts’ attacking efforts.
With the game looking to end in a narrow victory for Nigeria, Zimbabwe stunned the Super Eagles with a late equalizer in injury time, leaving the home side with only one point from the encounter. The result means that Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 World Cup now hang in the balance, with their chances increasingly slim as they continue to struggle in the qualifiers.
As the Super Eagles now shift their focus to upcoming fixtures, this draw serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of qualification campaigns, and Nigeria will need to regroup quickly if they are to have any hope of securing a spot in the next World Cup. The road to Qatar 2026 remains challenging, and every point will count as the Super Eagles continue their fight to reach the global stage.
