The Super Eagles will square up with the Brave Warriors of Zimbabwe in another must-win 2026 World Cup qualifier today at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium but Nigerian football fans are still looking elsewhere for something that is equally important to them.
The three-time African champions successfully revived their World Cup hopes with a commanding 2-0 victory over the Wasps of Rwanda in Kigali last Friday.
After the victory, the Super Eagles moved slightly up the table from the former fifth position to now fourth with six points. The former African champions landed themselves in the precarious situation because they could only draw three and lost one out of four matches played before the trip to Kigali.
Therefore, the Rwanda match was a win-or-bust fixture because anything less than victory would have effectively extinguished Super Eagles’ hopes of qualifying for the expanded World Cup to be staged in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
However, as the Super Eagles battle the Brave Warriors for the maximum points that can lift them to the second spot on the table, some Nigerians are interested in what will happen in the other Group C clash between Benin Republic and group leaders, South Africa.
The incurable optimists among Nigerian fans believe victory against Zimbabwe is certain but they will be ‘monitoring’ the other match in Abidjan because of its implication on the Super Eagles.
The Bafana Bafana of South Africa on 10 points are seen as the biggest threat to Nigeria. They will amass 13 points if they beat the Cheetahs of Benin Republic. However, if they lose, Benin who are second with eight points will replace them at the top with eleven points while Nigeria will move up to third on nine points, if the Super Eagles overcome the Warriors.
So, victory for Benin Republic will keep Nigeria in third place even if they win against Zimbabwe but in case of a South Africa victory, the Super Eagles would leapfrog Benin Republic into second position, if they beat Zimbabwe.
However, things will get even more complicated for the Super Eagles if the unthinkable happens in Uyo. If they are defeated and Lesotho shock Rwanda in Kigali, Nigeria will return to the fifth position. Meanwhile, Rwanda are aiming to move above Benin Republic in case they lose to South Africa.
So, apart from the Benin Republic versus South Africa fixture, the other group match also has the potential to make-or-mar Super Eagles chances. But for most of the fans, the biggest threat remains the Bafana Bafana and Cheetahs.
Consequently, most Nigerian football fans are silently praying for Benin Republic to slow down Bafana Bafana. At this moment, anything that will delay the movement of the frontrunners is good for Nigerian fans.
The Chairman of the FCT Football Association, Alhaji Adam Mouktar Mohammed, is one of those Nigerians who believe victory for South Africa against Benin Republic will make things more difficult for the Super Eagles.
Speaking to Daily Trust, he said: “Benin have a high chance of beating South Africa, if they fight. Both teams pose a danger to us clinching the ticket.
“We should get our wins and hope they (Nigeria’s opponents) keep getting draws. The more they cancel each other out, the better our chances.
“Don’t forget the CAF president is South African. He will try to motivate his team also to the World Cup. So, it’s a multi-edged battle we face to the end.
“However, a few bad results will put them under pressure and that is what we need.”
So, this afternoon, the eyes of most Nigerian football fans will be on the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo and the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Abidjan even as the outcome of the other group match between Rwanda and Lesotho in Kigali is also of significance to them.
