The Nigerian male national football team, Super Eagles, kept its dream of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup to be held in North America alive after defeating Lesotho 2-1 during the qualification game.
Despite the victory, the Super Eagles remain third on the Group C log with 14 points, trailing Benin by three points and South Africa by a point.
During the game played on Friday in South Africa, the Nigerian team opened the goal chart in the 55th minute of the game after the team’s captain, William Troost-Ekong, converted a penalty.
The tally was increased in the 80th minute by Sevilla of Spain forward, Akor Adams, who pounced on Victor Osimhen’s pass to register his first goal for the team after replacing Wolves striker, Tolu Arokodare.
But three minutes after, the host, Lesotho, reduced the goal tally after the Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, committed an error, allowing the visitor to concede a goal.
Efforts by the host to equalise through the last kick of the game, however, failed after its player edged Nwabali to the ball and narrowly missed the goal.
Before the game, the Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, fielded a strong side with the return of the Galatasaray forward, Osimhen, and Saudi Pro League, Al-Kholood defender, Troost-Ekong.
Paris FC forward, Moses Simon, set the pace for the Eagles in the 6th minute as he tried to weave inside from the right wing, but the Crocodiles were strong in defence.
Despite a dominant ball possession, Nigeria were sloppy in passing the ball as Lesotho’s back five prevented the opposition forwards from accessing enough space to operate in.
Osimhen came close in the 38th minute in putting Nigeria ahead as he beat his marker to get on the end of a cross from the right wing before powering a chance at goal, only for Sekhoane to keep out the effort.
Despite the Super Eagles’ onslaught, the Lesotho defence repelled all attacks to end the first half goalless
The second half resumed with Nigeria dominating possession and were duly rewarded in the 53rd minute when Motlomelo Mkwanazi was adjudged to have handled the ball, after he blocked a shot from Moses Simon.
Ekong stepped up to take the penalty kick, guiding it to the bottom right-hand corner.
Nigeria’s relentless pressure paid off as Osimhen, in the 80th minute, fed the ball to the right side of the penalty area to Akor Adamson, who took a touch and then drilled his effort past Sekhoane to double the lead.
However, the Crocodiles would themselves back after a sloppy play from the Nigerian defence, courtesy of a corner kick that landed favourably to Hlompho Kalake, who whipped a shot over the top of Nwabali.
