One of the biggest mysteries in the world of football is the Nigerian attack. With forwards like Samuel Chukwueze, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, Terem Moffi, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Osimhen, the Super Eagles have the best offensive unit in the world, or at least in the top 5. And yet, in the World Cup qualifiers they cannot score more than enough and after shocking 1-1 against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, Nigeria only drew (yes, you guessed it 1-1) with South Africa, delivering a huge blow to their World Cup chances. Only Victor Osimhen was missing (through injury) from this stunning attack but the others couldn’t finish the job. The Super Eagles even changed coaches after AFCON, but legend Finidi George was unable to get the best of his team. He used all of his strikers through 90 minutes apart from Boniface (?!) but it was the attacking midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru who saved the home team from embarrassment as Bafana Bafana took the lead after only 29 minutes. So, after three games Nigeria is in fourth place in the table with three points from as many matches with South Africa third on four points, while Lesotho, ranked 149th in the world, are top of the Group C!The hosts started brightly with Paul Onuachu, Ademola Lookman and Benjamin Tanimu having shots at goal in the first half. South Africa gradually settled into the game. A Teboho Mokoena free kick brushed off the crossbar with Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali beaten. The visitors were rewarded in the 29th minute, when Themba Zwane took on the Nigerian defence on his own before he fired home the opening goal. Tanimu came to the rescue of the Super Eagles after 36 minutes, when goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was beaten by a chipped effort, but the Tanzania-based defender headed to safety. But Alex Iwobi teed up Fisayo Dele-Bashiru for the equalizer after the break as Bafana Bafana often tore through the Nigerian defense. Both sides had their chances to break the deadlock in the second half.South Africa continued to pour forward, but Elias Mokwana failed to finish off another sleek attacking move while visiting goalkeeper Ronwen Williams cleared an Onuachu header. And Williams denied Atalanta forward Lookman in stoppage time when he turned away a goal-bound effort for a corner. Group C remains wide open with Nigeria, two points adrift of Lesotho in fifth place, hoping to register their first win away against Benin on Monday, with South Africa playing at home against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERSFridayKenya – Burundi 1-1 (0-0)/Abuya 72 – Sudi 85/Mozambique – Somalia 2-1 (2-0)/Amade 14, Ratifo 29 – Shirwa 66/Zimbabwe – Lesotho 0-2 (0-2)/Rasethuntsa 21, Thaba 31/Angola – Eswatini 1-0 (1-0)/Mabululu 2/Madagascar – Comoros 2-1 (1-0)/Raveloson 1, 66 – El Fardou Ben 90+4/Uganda – Botswana 1-0 (0-0)/Shaban 74/Ivory Coast – Gabon 1-0 (1-0)/Fofana 36/Morocco – Zambia 2-1 (1-0)/Ziyech 6 pen, Ben Seghir 67 / Chilufya 80/Nigeria – South Africa 1-1 (0-1)/Dele-Bashiru 46 – Zwane 29/
