Zimbabwe held Nigeria to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, dashing the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the tournament.
Victor Osimhen gave Nigeria the lead in the 74th minute, but Zimbabwe equalized in the 90th minute to deny the Super Eagles a crucial victory.
After a 2-0 win over Rwanda on Friday, Nigeria had hoped to revive their World Cup ambitions after a disappointing start to their qualification campaign. The Super Eagles began the match with a flurry of chances to take the lead at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Akwa Ibom, but brave defending and poor finishing from the visitors kept the game goalless.
Nigeria pushed for a breakthrough, and in the 74th minute, they finally found it. Osimhen met a low cross from Moses Simon, scoring with a header at the far post to give Nigeria a 1-0 advantage.
However, Zimbabwe nearly equalized immediately after, with Nigeria’s defense caught out, but a lucky rebound off the crossbar spared the Super Eagles. Nigeria continued to threaten but could not extend their lead, as Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi wasted a clear opportunity in front of goal.
In the dying moments of the match, Zimbabwe capitalized on Nigeria’s defensive lapse. Tawanda Chirewa slotted the ball past goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali at his near post in the 90th minute, breaking Nigeria’s hearts with the equalizer.
With the draw, Nigeria remains in fourth place in Group C with seven points from six games.
In another Group C encounter, South Africa secured a 2-0 victory over Benin, taking them closer to World Cup qualification. The Bafana Bafana lead the group with 13 points from six games, five points clear of second-place Rwanda, who drew with Lesotho.
Only one team from each of the nine African qualification groups will secure an automatic spot for the World Cup, while the four best runners-up will have a chance to compete in a playoff for an intercontinental spot.
