The knives are out for the Super Eagles, and two of Nigeria’s most recognisable football voices have sharpened theirs
Former internationals Etim Esin and Ben Iroha have savaged the national team following Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in Bloemfontein, a result that has left Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup hanging by a thread, Soccernet.ng reports.
The clash was billed as a must-win Group C fixture. Instead, it was another frustrating evening.
An own goal from captain William Troost-Ekong handed Bafana Bafana the lead after 25 minutes, before Calvin Bassey levelled with a header on the stroke of half-time. The defender’s goal was scrappy, appearing to come off his arm, but Nigeria weren’t in a position to care. They needed three points. They got one.
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With only two qualifiers left in October, against Lesotho and Benin Republic, the Super Eagles are stuck on 11 points, six behind leaders South Africa and three adrift of the Cheetahs. The equation is bleak: Nigeria must win both games and pray for a collapse from the Bafana Bafana and Benin.
Esin, never shy of plain speaking, branded the squad ‘average' and lacking the basic tools needed at this level.
What Esin said of the Super Eagles stars
“We have average players in the Super Eagles, the team lacks creativity, we have players who cannot confidently take on a player and beat the player one-on-one, nobody can make anything happen,” Esin told Completesports.
“It is a sad day for Nigerian football, it is unimaginable that we will miss another World Cup, it’s terrible.”
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Iroha, a member of the iconic 1994 squad, was just as cutting. Speaking from Texas, the ex-left-back said the result has effectively placed qualification out of Nigeria’s hands.
“That (1-1 draw) wasn’t the best result that the average Nigerian had expected from the match against South Africa,” he admitted.
“We all expected a win to stand a better chance of qualifying either as group leaders if FIFA eventually deducts three points and three goals from South Africa, or at worst, one of the four ‘best losers’ at the end of the qualifiers.
“But as it stands now, I don’t even know how we can still make it with just two games to go.”
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Nigeria face an uphill battle to secure qualification, needing maximum points in their final two fixtures and favorable results elsewhere to stand a chance.
In October, the Super Eagles will trade tackles with Lesotho in Bloemfontein and Benin Republic in Uyo in the final rounds of the World Cup qualifiers.
