2026 World Cup Qualifiers: The odds against Super Eagles 

By Jacob Ajom

Nigeria’s World Cup run took different superior stroke erstwhile Zimbabwe, 1 of the countries whose nationalist squad fell successful the aforesaid radical with the Super Eagles, announced that their remaining 2 matches would beryllium played successful Durban, a South African city. With 11 points from 8 matches, the Super Eagles, similar each different state successful the group, tin execute 6points maximum if they triumph the remaining matches. 

It indispensable beryllium noted that Zimbabwe, similar Lesotho, play their location matches successful South Africa. That has already tilted the standard successful favour of the Bafana Bafana of South Africa who person played Lesotho doubly and won some legs(6points),Zimbabwe once(3 points) and different 3 points successful the waiting. It is simply a fixed that South Africa volition bushed Zimbabwe, anyplace successful the country. Although the Super Eagles are 3rd successful the table, the different beardown contenders successful the radical are the Republic f Benin(14 points) and Rwanda connected 11 points, aforesaid arsenic Nigeria.

Nigeria’s World Cup run has been mired with inconsistent performances by the Super Eagles, coupled with the administrative flaws that resulted successful the instability successful the team’s method crew. Now that the Super Eagles are warring for a spot successful the play off, determination are galore teams that are acold amended than the Eagles successful points and extremity difference. With the precarious presumption of Nigeria successful the qualifiers, the Super Eagles indispensable triumph their remaining matches earlier knowing wherever they belong. 

There are astir 9 2nd placed teams with higher points and amended extremity aggregates successful the assorted groups that could beryllium considered arsenic favourites for the play off. In Group A Burkina Faso has 15 points with a positive 14 extremity aggregate, Group B has DR Congo with 16 points and a positive 7 aggregate, Group Chas the Republic of Benin with a positive 4 extremity aggregate. 

Group D has Cameroon with 16 points and a positive 10 extremity difference. Group F has Gabon with 19 points with a extremity aggregate of positive six. 

There are galore different amended 2nd placed teams which spells doom for the Super Eagles World Cup aspirations. It’s tricky. But erstwhile Super Eagles adjunct manager Sylvanus Okpala believes each anticipation is not mislaid yet. “There is inactive a batch to play for,” helium said, successful a chat with Sports Vanguard. 

“When I was playing, I would play until determination was thing to play for again. We inactive person 2 matches to play, we person to triumph them for you to speech astir whether we are going to suffice for the playoffs oregon not. There is nary looking astatine the calculator. Just spell retired determination and triumph the 2 matches. 

Then you tin inquire yourself whether you are getting automatic qualification oregon a playoff.”

He said helium has not mislaid anticipation yet connected the Super Eagles qualifying for the World Cup but would not instrumentality his cervix connected their chances. As if results connected the transportation were not troubling enough, a deeper situation continues to haunt Nigerian football. The Super Eagles person gone astir 3 years without receiving lucifer bonuses, and the backlog covers arsenic galore arsenic 30 games, according to Nigerian sports writer Oluwashina Okeleji. Speaking connected Sporty FM connected Wednesday, Okeleji explained however the concern has taken its toll connected the players. “You person players who person not been paid their lucifer bonuses going into 30 matches, dating backmost to thre eyears. 

These players sometimes are not successful the close framework of mind, “he said. According to Ghana web, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has antecedently received N17 cardinal from the national authorities to settee outstanding bonuses, on with a$34 cardinal assistance from CAF. Despite that, players are inactive waiting, and this ungraded adds different furniture of vexation to a qualification run already plagued by inconsistency. 

The outgo quality is lone 1 portion of Nigeria’s shot problems arsenic Okeleji further pinpointed wider structural issues, noting that Nigeria presently has conscionable 1 FIFA and CAF-approved stadium successful Uyo. There is besides nary method centre wherever players tin decently prepare. For the Super Eagles, the contiguous situation remains connected the pitch, but without superior betterment disconnected it, Nigeria’s instrumentality to the satellite signifier looks much uncertain than ever. 

An exertion with New Telegraph, Adekunle Salami talked astir the instability successful the method unit arsenic the bane of...