News

Super Eagles held to 1-1 draw against Lesotho: Peseiro cites unfortunate luck

Lesotho stunned Nigeria’s Super Eagles in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification opener, drawing 1-1 at Uyo

Super Eagles’ head coach, Jose Peseiro, expressed disappointment after a 1-1 draw against Lesotho in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, attributing the result to unfortunate circumstances, Soccernet.ng reports.

Despite being the favourites, Nigeria faced a resilient Lesotho side that put up a commendable performance, frustrating the home team.

The Super Eagles struggled to convert the chances they created during the game, allowing the Southern Africans to take the lead in the 56th minute before Semi Ajayi levelled the scoreline for the home side.

Key chances included Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho’s free-kick saved in the first half and his near miss, striking the woodwork in the second half.

Additionally, Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman missed a significant opportunity which could have put Jose Peseiro’s men in front, before halftime.

Reflecting on the match, Peseiro acknowledged his team’s dominance, possessing the ball for 76% of the game against Lesotho’s 24%.

“We had 76% of the ball possession against 24%, the opponents only had two chances to score and scored a goal,” he told the media.

However, he highlighted that Lesotho capitalised on one of their limited chances while Nigeria struggled to convert several opportunities, labelling it an unfortunate day for his side.

He added: “We had many chances to score. It was bad luck.”

The Super Eagles will regroup for their upcoming match against Zimbabwe on Sunday, aiming to turn the tide and secure a much-needed victory.

Ayomide Oguntimehin

Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and an Editor at Soccernet.ng, with a proven track record in conducting interviews with Super Eagles stars such as William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ademola Lookman, and many others. He has also made a significant impact in breaking transfer news stories. Grounded in video editing, video journalism, social media management, and content strategy, Ayomide brings a wealth of expertise to his work. With a Bachelor's degree in English Language from Adeyemi College of Education and a Master's Degree in School Library and Media Technology from the University of Ibadan, Ayomide is well-prepared to excel in the field.

Share
Published by
Ayomide Oguntimehin

Recent Posts

One-time Ballon d’Or winner faults Calvin Bassey for Janelt’s goal despite Fulham win

Former England and Real Madrid forward, Michael Owen, has revealed that Brentford's opening goal against… Read More

2 hours ago

“You can’t wear that jersey and be slacking” – Nwankwo Kanu sends cryptic message to Boniface, urges Super Eagles stars to step up

Former Arsenal and Super Eagles striker, Nwankwo Kanu, has urged the Nigerian players to step… Read More

3 hours ago

Pictures: Osimhen returns to training for Galatasaray ahead of Europa League cracker against Tottenham

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has returned to training with Turkish champions Galatasaray after being… Read More

3 hours ago

Super Eagles star joins Dominic Solanke and Chelsea’s Caicedo in BBC’s Premier League TOTW

Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest full-back, Ola Aina has been included in Troy Deeney's BBC's… Read More

3 hours ago

Real Madrid target Super Eagles star with 27 G/A in 2024 as Vinicius Jr nears world-record move to Al-Hilal

Real Madrid may soon face the departure of their star forward Vinicius Junior, with Al-Hilal… Read More

4 hours ago

AFCON U20: Coach Zubairu opens Flying Eagles door for Inter Milan, OGC Nice, Genk wonderkids

Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has pledged to give Nigeria’s foreign-based talents the opportunity… Read More

5 hours ago