Nigeria’s Super Eagles battled to a nervy 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane on Friday, keeping alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
After a frustrating first half, captain William Troost-Ekong converted from the spot before debutant Akor Adams doubled the lead with a well-taken strike.
The hosts, however, capitalised on a defensive lapse to pull one back, setting up a tense finale that Nigeria just managed to survive.
The victory moves Eric Chelle’s side to third in Group C with 14 points, one behind South Africa and three adrift of leaders Benin, who won away in Rwanda.
How Super Eagles lined up
Head coach Eric Chelle opted for a 4-4-2 formation, keeping faith with Stanley Nwabali in goal.
Calvin Bassey and Troost-Ekong anchored the defence, flanked by Benjamin Fredrick and Bruno Onyemaechi. In midfield, Wilfred Ndidi partnered Alex Iwobi, while Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon provided width.
Up front, Victor Osimhen led the line alongside Tolu Arokodare, a pairing designed to unsettle Lesotho’s compact defence. Despite the attacking setup, Nigeria struggled to find rhythm in the first half.
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Frustrating first half for the Super Eagles
Nigeria began brightly with early chances for Iwobi and Arokodare, but both failed to convert.
Lookman’s offside runs disrupted attacking flow, while Lesotho grew in confidence midway through the half.
The Super Eagles’ best chance came just before the interval when Simon’s corner found Arokodare unmarked, but his header flew wide. Chelle’s men went into the break goalless and visibly frustrated.
Second-half response and Adams' dream debut
The game came to life after the restart.
Lookman’s relentless wing play forced a handball in the box, and Troost-Ekong, seeking redemption after his own goal against South Africa, calmly converted from the spot.
Osimhen nearly made it 2–0 moments later, striking the post after rounding the goalkeeper. Substitute Akor Adams eventually sealed the win in the 80th minute, finishing superbly after a neat pass from Osimhen.
The Sevilla forward became the sixth Nigerian to score on debut, joining the likes of Obafemi Martins and Brian Idowu.
Lesotho, however, refused to fold. A late defensive mix-up allowed them to halve the deficit, and Nwabali’s erratic handling almost gifted them a dramatic equaliser but Nigeria held firm to take all three points.
What next for the Super Eagles?
Nigeria’s qualification fate remains uncertain, but this win keeps them within touching distance of the top two.
Benin defeated Rwanda 1-0 while South Africa were held to a goalless draw by ten-man Zimbabwe.
With the match against Benin remaining, Chelle’s men must now beat the Cheetahs and hope for another South African slip-up.
