As the zero hour swiftly approaches to the 2026 World Cup qualifying match between Lesotho and Nigeria at the Peter Makoba Stadium in Polokwane in South Africa on Friday, some Super Eagles players have been sharing their thoughts on the crunch game.
With South Africa’s points deduction confirmed, Benin are now top of Group C, and need wins against Rwanda and Nigeria to book a spot in next year’s FIFA World Cup.
For Nigeria to qualify, they will pray for Bafana Bafana drop points in their remaining matches against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
Speaking to NFF TV,, Besiktas midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, said his focus is on victory against Lesotho, before the final game against Benin Republic
“We know where we are at the moment, and these two games are very crucial,” Ndidi said.
“First, we look forward to the game against Lesotho, before moving to Benin, but right now, the most important thing is our fixture tomorrow”, added the former Leicester midfielder.
Fulham defender, Calvin Bassey shared the way which Eric Chelle’s side will approach the game tomorrow.
“We have to remain calm and do what we have to. I think this is not the first time that any one of us, for club and country, has been in high-pressure moments.
“So, I think we’ve got an experienced team to handle the situation. It’s just about making sure we do everything right,”said Bassey.
On his part, Captain William Troost-Ekong expressed strong belief that the Super Eagles can still make it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Optimistic, we believe until the end, we never stop believing. We have two important games now.
“Friday’s the first one, and after this, we’ll get back to Nigeria, but we’ll focus now on Lesotho. We’re focused, and the spirits are high.
“It’s been the same for us all along, so it’s good that everyone sees this as an opportunity now, but we saw it before. We’re optimistic,” the one-time Greek Champion concluded.
Nigeria’s clash against the crocodiles of Lesotho is scheduled for 5:00 PM WAT at the Peter Makoba Stadium, Polokwane, Pietersburg, South Africa.
