Nigeria's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign faced significant scrutiny following a contentious 1-1 draw against South Africa, a match the Super Eagles desperately needed to win. The game, held on Tuesday, saw a series of dramatic events unfold, from an unfortunate own goal to a disputed equalizer and public criticism of key players by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The NFF publicly singled out captain William Troost-Ekong and striker Cyriel Dessers for their performances. Troost-Ekong found himself in an unenviable position when he inadvertently slid the ball into his own net in the 25th minute, granting South Africa the opening goal and, according to the NFF, diminishing the Super Eagles' fighting spirit. Dessers, who was substituted at half-time, also received harsh words from the NFF Director of Communications, Dr. Ademola Olajire. Olajire stated that Dessers had an "unimpressive game," was "too slow to latch onto passes," failed to "win aerial balls," and did "little in bringing alive the Nigerian attack."

Adding to the team's woes was the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen, who missed the qualifier due to an alleged leg injury sustained during a prior 1-0 win against Rwanda. While Galatasaray, Osimhen's club, issued a statement confirming an ankle ligament injury, former Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan cast doubt on the veracity of the injury claim. Gyan controversially accused Osimhen of faking the injury, suggesting it was a pre-arranged "trick" orchestrated by his club to prioritize upcoming Champions League matches over international duty, a common accusation in football circles.

The match itself was not without its own contentious moments, particularly Nigeria's equalizing goal. Calvin Bassey leveled the score just before half-time with a powerful header from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru's superb cross. However, the goal immediately sparked protests from Bafana Bafana players, as replays suggested the ball made contact with Bassey's hand before entering the net. Despite appeals, the center referee allowed the goal to stand, with no Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in use for the match.

The incident ignited a debate among former goalkeepers. Former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune vehemently argued that the goal should have been disallowed, expressing his disappointment that neither the referee nor the linesman spotted the handball. He suggested that VAR would have undoubtedly overturned the decision. Conversely, former Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi offered a more nuanced perspective, acknowledging the difficulty for the referee to accurately spot the foul from his position and distance from the action. This confluence of individual errors, high-profile absences, and controversial officiating decisions left the Super Eagles' World Cup aspirations hanging in the balance after a truly eventful draw.