Super eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has admitted that Nigeria has underperformed in their quest to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
His comments followed the team’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Bloemfontein on Tuesday night, a result that left Nigeria’s qualification hopes hanging in the balance.
Nigeria currently sits third in Group C with 11 points after eight matches. To stand a realistic chance of qualifying, the Super Eagles must win their remaining two games against Lesotho and Benin Republic while also relying on favourable results from other group fixtures.
Speaking to journalist Osasu Obayiuwana at Bloemfontein Airport after the game, Nwabali admitted that the team had been slow to show urgency in the qualifiers.
“We (as a team) should have made more effort to qualify for the World Cup. We left it very late,” he said.
So far, Nigeria has managed only two wins in the group, with several matches ending in costly 1-1 draws. Injuries to key players like Victor Osimhen have also weakened the team’s attacking strength, while an earlier defeat to Benin Republic compounded the struggle.
Despite the setback, head coach Eric Chelle remains hopeful.
“We are professionals. There are still two games left, and the players want to win them. But it is difficult because we wanted to win against South Africa, and we did everything to achieve that,” Chelle explained.
The Super Eagles now face a do-or-die battle in their final fixtures if they are to keep their World Cup dream alive.
