2026 World Cup Qualifier: Chelle rally Super Eagles after vital win
Coach Eric Chelle and captain William Troost-Ekong have praised the Super Eagles’ resilience after a crucial 2-1 win over Lesotho in Polokwane, South Africa, on Friday.
The victory keeps Nigeria’s hope alive for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Chelle acknowledged the pressure on the team since March. He said the win was vital and congratulated his players for their determination.
“We won the three points today. We are still alive. Journalists can now start doing their mathematics and permutations,” Chelle said.
He said the players have felt immense pressure during camps. In spite of missing chances in the first half, he was proud of their performance.
Chelle urged Nigerian fans to back the team in large numbers ahead of the final qualifier against the Benin Republic in Uyo.
“This is the final round. The game starts the moment Benin steps on Nigerian soil. We need to do the job on the pitch,” he added.
Captain Troost-Ekong acknowledged Lesotho’s strong challenge.
“Lesotho played a great game. It wasn’t easy. We understand the frustration because they fought hard,” Ekong said.
He stressed the team’s winning mentality and readiness for the decisive match.
“We want to win convincingly in Uyo. This is the final moment, and we will work hard to get there,” he said.
Nigeria is third in Group C with 14 points. Benin Republic leads with 17 points, followed by South Africa with 15.
NAN also reports that to qualify automatically, Nigeria must beat the Benin Republic in Uyo on Tuesday, and hope that South Africa drop points against Rwanda in Durban.
A 2-0 win over Benin would give Nigeria 17 points, matching Benin but giving Nigeria the edge on goal difference.
If Nigeria wins 2-1, tiebreakers will decide the group winner.
Group C Standings After Matchday 9
Pos. Country Pts. GF GA GD
1st Benin Republic 17 12 7 +5
2nd South Africa 15 12 9 +3
3rd Nigeria 14 11 8 +3
4th Rwanda 11 5 6 -1
5th Lesotho 9 8 12 -4
6th Zimbabwe 5 5 11 -6
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
States
Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future
The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Kano
Kano govt to shut non-compliant schools in revalidation exercise
Mr Abubakar-Umar said free registration forms had been distributed to school proprietors to facilitate data collection.
Abuja
Abuja motorists decry continued hike in petrol prices
The motorists said petrol prices had continued to rise despite the federal government’s assurance to cushion the impact on consumers.
World
Human Rights Watch warns Burundi set to win UNHRC seat unopposed despite killings, disappearances
Human Rights Watch said Burundi had yet to implement reforms to address human rights abuse concerns.
NationWide
NHRC urges FG to expand access to mental health care
“We also urge the full implementation of the National Mental Health Act and Policy, with clear accountability,” Mr Ojukwu said.
States
NDLEA arrests 108 suspects, seizes 1.8 tonnes of illicit drugs in Kaduna
NDLEA said cannabis sativa accounted for the largest quantity, with 1,874.843 kilogrammes seized during the operations.
States
PHED blames higher electricity bills on feeder upgrades
The PHED official said some customers were experiencing higher tariffs following the migration of their feeders to Band A.
