Ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against the Brave Warriors of Zimbabwe, the captain of the Super Eagles, William Troost-Ekong, has said the three-time African champions will seek to take control of the game the way they did against Rwanda.

The Super Eagles expect to rise to nine points and be fully back into contention for a 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket after today’s African Qualification Series Matchday 6 encounter at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Ekong also said they will work hard to get the goals that will give them the three points and fully establish them as one of the contenders for the ticket.

“We are looking forward to a win. The three points are important to us. At this stage, we cannot afford to drop any more points. Our aim is to take it one match at a time, collect three points here and there and hope fervently that these will be enough to get us the ticket.”

Without a win in their first four games of the series, Nigeria languished in fifth place in the six-team group C and remained in a perilous situation, until Friday’s robust win over Rwanda in Kigali threw them up as a proposition for the ticket to the finals.

Nigeria, with six points, moved up to fourth position, while Zimbabwe, on three, prop up the table, and will seek to increase their haul in today’s encounter.

Leaders South Africa, on 10 points, square up to second-placed Benin Republic, on eight points, at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan.

Lesotho, now in fifth place following their defeat by South Africa on Friday, will tackle Rwanda’s Amavubi at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium in the last match of group C.