Nigeria’s hopes of building momentum in their World Cup qualifying campaign took a major hit as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Despite the backing of a massive home crowd filled with influential figures, the Super Eagles failed to secure all three points, leaving their qualification hopes in serious doubt.
Missed Opportunities and Costly Mistakes
The first half ended 1-1 after a tense 45 minutes where both sides struggled to find their rhythm.
Nigeria, desperate to take control, finally broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute when Victor Osimhen nodded home an inch-perfect cross from Ola Aina.
The Galatasaray striker’s goal sent the stadium into a frenzy, as it seemed Nigeria had finally found their breakthrough.
However, the Super Eagles failed to kill the game off. Just three minutes after taking the lead, Zimbabwe came agonizingly close to equalizing when Knowledge Musona’s powerful effort struck the underside of the crossbar following a defensive mix-up.
It was a clear warning sign for Nigeria, but they failed to heed it.
A Late Blow for Nigeria
With a one-goal lead and time running out, Nigeria had a golden opportunity to put the game to bed in the 83rd minute.
Moses Simon picked out Wilfred Ndidi in a dangerous position, but the Leicester City midfielder’s poor decision-making saw him sky his effort instead of using his stronger left foot. That miss would prove costly.
Just when it looked like Nigeria would scrape through with all three points, disaster struck in the 90th minute.
Tawanda Chirewa capitalized on sloppy defending to fire home a dramatic equalizer, silencing the home crowd and sending Zimbabwe into wild celebrations.
A Qualification Setback
The result marks Nigeria’s third home draw in the World Cup qualifiers after six matches, leaving them stuck in fourth place with seven points, while Zimbabwe remain bottom with four.
The Super Eagles are now at serious risk of missing out on a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mathematically, it’s not over, but they’ve made it a lot harder for themselves now.
For Zimbabwe, it was a spirited performance; one that showcased their resilience and determination to fight until the very last moment.
Nigeria will now have to wait until the next international break in September to try and salvage their qualification campaign.
But with tougher fixtures ahead, they will need a drastic improvement if they want to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
