Table of Contents
- Nigeria vs Zimbabwe match on Tuesday evening lessened the Super Eagles’ hope to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- A goal in the second half by Victor Osimhen raised Nigeria’s hopes for the qualifiers
- However, Zimbabwe scored in the 90th minute, putting everything on balance for the Super Eagles
A 1-1 draw from Nigeria vs Zimbabwe match on Tuesday evening lessened the Super Eagles’ hope of playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A goal in the second half by Victor Osimhen raised Nigeria’s hopes for the qualifiers. Osimhen scored in the 74th minute, putting them in a good place in Group C.
It was too early to celebrate, though, as Zimbabwe’s forward Tawanda Chirewa equalised in the 90th minute. Coach Eric Chelle had earlier warned that Zimbabwe isn’t an easy team to beat.
Chelle said the team had a great squad and coach whose focus is winning and nothing less.
What Next after Nigeria vs Zimbabwe Draw
Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hangs in the balance after the 1-1 draw. The Super Eagles are six points behind South Africa, who leads their group.
A major takeaway from Nigeria vs Zimbabwe match is that coach Eric Chelle has a lot to do for his team to play in the 2026 World Cup. He needs to reduce his reliance on Osimhen as the team’s saviour.
Osimhen has scored in both games that Chelle has overseen since signing as Super Eagle’s coach in January. He scored against Rwanda on March 22 to give Nigeria a 2-0 lead.
A 1-1 draw from Nigeria vs Zimbabwe match on Tuesday evening lessened the Super Eagles’ hope to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Photo/Punch Newspapers
On Tuesday, it was Osimhen who scored the only goal for the Super Eagles. The Nigerian striker missed four of the 2026 World Cup qualifier campaign matches due to injury.
The team lost in all these games until his return, often seen as a motivating factor for the team. Although it’s a good thing having a player raising the morale level of the team, over-relying on him is a problem.
Over the years, Rashidi Yekini held the top position as Nigeria’s top scorer but Osimhen has dethroned him.
“We know Osimhen is a great footballer. But Chelle has a problem now. Without him, it means the team loses. This is something Chelle and his squad should sit down and talk about if we are to regain our lost glory,” Uyo Ademola, a Super Eagles fan, said.
Players such as Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman need to step up and save the Super Eagles. They played well in Nigeria vs Zimbabwe match but failed to score either due to poor shots or subpar assists.
“A player like Lookman is great, same with Moses Simon. They have the potential to score clean goals, but they lack confidence and strategy, unlike Osimhen. These are the things the coach should focus on now,” Ademola added.
Work on Defense
A poor defense was evident throughout the Zimbabwe vs Nigeria. Photo/X
A poor defense was evident throughout the match. The last-minute score by the Warriors resulted from a weak back. William Troost-Ekong tackles lacked passion and thrust, finally giving way to Chirewa, who scored in the 90th minute.
On more than one occasion, the defense was badly exposed, a gap rivals are likely to exploit in the next matches. Yet, Chelle scouted for 23 premium players to join the national team.
Local players Papa Daniel and Kayode Bankole are part of the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualifier squad. Their inclusion, according to the coach is ‘for the strength of the team in the future.’
As talented as they are, the team should focus on strengthening its defense and having more scorers than just Osimhen.
