Zimbabwe Holds Nigeria to 1-1 Draw, Super Eagles’ World Cup Hopes in Jeopardy

Nigeria’s Super Eagles chances of securing a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup took another hit on Tuesday as the Super Eagles were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe in a crucial qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Victor Osimhen opened the scoring for Nigeria with a header, giving the Super Eagles a lead in the 74th minute with an assist from Ola Aina. However, T. Chirewa struck back for Zimbabwe at 90 minutes, levelling the match and ensuring his side earned a hard-fought point.

Despite pushing for a winner, Nigeria struggled to break Zimbabwe’s defence, leaving their qualification hopes in balance.

The result shows Nigeria dropped to fourth place in Group C with just seven points, trailing leaders South Africa (13 points), Rwanda (8 points), and Benin (8 points). Zimbabwe remains at the bottom with four points but will take confidence from their spirited performance.

With only the group winners guaranteed a place in the World Cup, Nigeria now face a must-win situation in their next fixture against second-placed Rwanda. The Super Eagles must secure maximum points to keep their qualification hopes alive.

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