World Cup blow: Super Eagles on the brink as South Africa crush Lesotho to leave Nigeria 9 points adrift

South Africa tightened their grip on Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a commanding 3-0 victory over Lesotho in Bloemfontein on Friday, leaving Nigeria’s Super Eagles with no margin for error, Soccernet.ng reports.

Played at Free State Stadium, technically a Lesotho ‘home' game but on South African soil due to stadium restrictions, Hugo Broos’s side made short work of their neighbours to move nine points clear of Nigeria.

Mohau Nkota opened the scoring after 15 minutes, the 20-year-old forward expertly slotting home from an Aubrey Modiba cross.

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The second half belonged to the Bafana Bafana.

Burnley striker Lyle Foster doubled the advantage just past the hour mark before Oswin Appollis of Orlando Pirates added a third within four minutes, killing off the contest.

The result means Bafana Bafana now extend their advantage at the top of Group C with 16 points from six matches.

Benin Republic rose to second in Group C with 11 points after claiming a crucial 3-0 win over Zimbabwe also on Friday.

Rwanda, ahead of their game against the Super Eagles, slip to third place with eight points. Nigeria, who only picked up their first win in qualifying against Rwanda in Kigali in March, are stranded in fourth with seven. Lesotho remain on five, and Zimbabwe are bottom with four.

It is now win or burst for the Super Eagles. Eric Chelle’s men face Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday knowing that defeat would effectively end their hopes of reaching the World Cup. 

With South Africa showing no signs of faltering, the Super Eagles must take maximum points against Rwanda before facing Bafana Bafana themselves in a decisive clash on Tuesday. Anything less than victory for the Super Eagles will likely see Africa’s most populous nation miss out on football’s biggest stage in 2026.