Have the Super Eagles finally blown away their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Zimbabwe?
Nigeria dropped two valuable points at home Tuesday and they now have seven points after six rounds of matches.
They are now six points adrift of South Africa, who currently occupy the automatic qualifying spot in Group C.
The Super Eagles qualification hopes are no longer in their hands because they will now have to depend on the other teams dropping points in the remaining four rounds of matches.
In September, Nigeria will welcome Rwanda to Uyo in continuation of the World Cup qualifying series before a difficult trip to South Africa.
In October, they will play away to Lesotho in South Africa and then host Benin in their final qualifier.
Mathematically, it is still possible for the Super Eagles to reach next year’s Mundial if they won their remaining four matches, three of which will be against the front runners in the group.
Realistically, coach Eric Chelle virtually surrendered winning the group at the post-match press conference following the draw with Zimbabwe.
He admitted the target will now be to finish second in the group and hopefully advance to the playoffs involving the best four runners-up in the qualifying tournament.
“I am so disappointed for my players, for Nigeria, may be we could now try to finish second (in the group),” Eric Chelle said.
But even that is a mountain to climb because currently the teams who occupy these playoff spots are Gabon (15 points), Cameroon (12 points), Senegal (12 points) and Namibia (12 points).
Comoros (12 points), Mozambique (12 points) and Burkinafaso (11 points) are also ahead of the Super Eagles, who are on seven points.
The other window that could get Nigeria through the back door to the 2026 World Cup could be FIFA docking three points and three goals from runaway Group C leaders Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
On the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Super Eagles were docked three points and three goals for fielding suspended Shehu Abdullahi against Algeria.
The qualifier in Constantine, Algeria, had ended in a 1-1 draw.
“Our hopes rest only on FIFA docking three points from South Africa for fielding an ineligible player, that will throw open our group because South Africa will now 10 points and we will be back in contention to qualify for the World Cup,” reasoned former international Ifeanyi Udeze.
But even for that option, the Super Eagles will be condemned to beat the high-flying South Africa in September.
