Abuja, Nigeria — The Super Eagles of Nigeria secured a vital 2-1 victory over Lesotho on Friday, taking a crucial step in their campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, a concurrent win by the Benin Republic means Nigeria’s qualification hopes are still finely balanced, with their fate not entirely within their own control heading into the final round of matches.
Nigeria started strongly in the second half, with Captain Troost Ekong scoring from the penalty spot in the 55th minute after a handball by the Lesotho defence. Forward Akor Adams then seemed to secure the points with a clinical finish in the 80th minute, doubling the lead. Lesotho immediately responded three minutes later through Kalake, but the Eagles managed to hold on for the critical three points.
The victory moves Nigeria to 14 points in Group C. Crucially, the Benin Republic also won their match and now lead the group with 17 points, maintaining an advantage in both points and goal difference. With only one fixture left, the Super Eagles must now rely on a specific combination of results to secure the sole automatic qualification spot.
Nigeria’s Qualification Path
The team has several tight pathways to the top spot:
- Direct Victory: The Eagles’ primary objective is to win their final match against the Benin Republic. A victory is essential to remain in contention.
- Goal Difference: Nigeria currently trails Benin and South Africa, meaning a high-scoring win in the final match, combined with favourable results elsewhere, could prove decisive if teams finish level on points.
- Hoping for Slips: Should Nigeria win, they must also hope that both the Benin Republic and South Africa drop points in their final fixtures to create an opportunity to seize the group lead.
For Lesotho, the defeat has effectively ended their hopes of qualifying, leaving them needing an almost impossible set of results to remain in contention.
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