Nigeria’s 3 best and worst performers in disappointing Zimbabwe draw

Victor Osimhen’s 26th international goal looked set to secure a crucial win for Nigeria, but defensive lapses and poor in-game management saw the Super Eagles throw away two points against Zimbabwe.

Nigeria dominated possession and created chances throughout the match, but a late lapse allowed Tawanda Chirewa to snatch an equaliser, leaving the Super Eagles with just seven points in their World Cup qualifying group.

While some players stood out with impressive performances, others failed to rise to the occasion.

Here are Nigeria’s three best and worst performers from the game, as compiled by Soccernet.ng‘s Imhonlamhen.

Super Eagles head coach, #EricChelle on the team’s Performance against Zimbabwe. pic.twitter.com/0mA3SE0T1Q

— Soccernet.ng (@soccernet_ng) March 25, 2025

Nigeria’s best performers

3. Calvin Bassey – The defensive rock

If there was one Nigerian defender who could hold his head high after this performance, it was Calvin Bassey. The Fulham centre-back was commanding in the air, composed on the ball, and quick in recovery.

His reading of the game was excellent — twice in the first half, he stepped in to bail out William Troost-Ekong after his captain lost concentration.

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At one point, he physically nudged Troost-Ekong in an attempt to wake him up, showing his growing leadership presence.

Bassey was also crucial in the second half, heading away a goal-bound effort after Zimbabwe struck the crossbar. Had he been the one marking Chirewa in the dying minutes, the equaliser might never have happened.

2. Moses Simon – The relentless winger

Nigeria’s most consistent attacking threat came from Moses Simon, who kept running at the Zimbabwean defence, drawing fouls and stretching their backline.

The Nantes winger was constantly double-teamed, yet he kept finding ways to deliver crosses and create openings.

While some of his deliveries were wasteful, the few that were on target should have been buried — especially the one Victor Osimhen nodded over and the two that Tolu Arokodare headed wide.

Simon also played a key role in Nigeria’s only goal, delivering the searching pass that led to Ola Aina’s cross for Osimhen’s header. His work rate and directness ensured Zimbabwe never had a moment’s peace on the left flank.

1. Victor Osimhen – The goal king

Nigeria’s talisman delivered yet again, netting his third goal in two qualifying matches and his 26th for the Super Eagles.

Osimhen was sharp from the start, testing the Zimbabwe goalkeeper early and leading the line with energy and intelligence. When the goal finally came, it was a trademark Osimhen finish — a precise header that left the keeper stranded.

His movement, hold-up play, and constant pressing made him a nightmare for Zimbabwe’s defence. However, his substitution late on left Nigeria exposed, as the team lost its focal point and struggled to maintain control.

The worst performers

3. Samuel Chukwueze – The underwhelming attacker

After a not-too-impressive outing against Rwanda, Chukwueze improved slightly in midfield but still failed to match Simon’s influence on the opposite flank.

The AC Milan man needed to bring more directness and urgency to Nigeria’s right side, yet he often drifted in and out of the game.

With Simon consistently drawing multiple defenders on the left, Chukwueze should have exploited the extra space on the right — but he didn’t.

For a player of his quality, more was expected.

2. William Troost-Ekong – The captain who went missing

Nigeria’s defensive leader had a nightmare outing. From the first whistle to the last, Troost-Ekong looked off the pace, uncertain in his positioning, and reactive rather than proactive.

A near-mix-up with Bassey in the first half prompted his younger partner to give him a wake-up push, but it made little difference.

The former Watford defender remained sluggish, struggled against Zimbabwe’s rare counterattacks, and was nowhere to be found when Chirewa ghosted into the box for the equaliser.

This was a match where the Super Eagles needed leadership at the back, but Troost-Ekong simply wasn’t up to the task.

1. Eric Chelle – The tactical blunder

Nigeria’s head coach set up his team well, but his in-game decisions ultimately cost the Super Eagles two points.

Chelle opted for a 4-1-3-2 setup that allowed Nigeria to dominate possession and create plenty of chances. However, after Osimhen’s goal, his substitutions were questionable.

The Super Eagles have now fallen SIX points behind South Africa in Group C. — SIX POINTS! #WorldCupQualifiers pic.twitter.com/3TVzzhQxih

— Soccernet.ng (@soccernet_ng) March 26, 2025

With Osimhen exhausted and Arokodare already on, Chelle introduced another striker in Victor Boniface when a defensive switch was needed.

Instead of shutting the game down with a fresh centre-back like Igoh Ogbu or Jordan Torunarigha, he left the tiring defence exposed — and Zimbabwe capitalised.

Chelle has shown promise with Nigeria, but this was a painful lesson in how small tactical errors can have big consequences.

Soccernet.ng's verdict

This was a game Nigeria should have won.

The Super Eagles created enough chances to put the match to bed, but lapses in concentration, poor game management, and costly defensive errors saw them drop crucial points.

With South Africa pulling ahead in Group C, Nigeria can’t afford any more slip-ups if they want to secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup.

For some players, like Osimhen and Bassey, this was another performance that proved their quality. For others, especially Troost-Ekong and Chelle, it was a match to forget.

The road to qualification is far from over, but Nigeria will need to be much sharper in the next international window if they are to keep their World Cup dream alive.