World Cup qualifiers: Super Eagles arrive in South Africa for Lesotho match

the Super Eagles are already in Polokwane in South Africa prior to this crucial 2026 FIFA world cup qualifier against Lesotho on Friday.  In...

the Super Eagles are already in Polokwane in South Africa prior to this crucial 2026 FIFA world cup qualifier against Lesotho on Friday.

 In a statement, the media officer of the team, Promise Efoghe, said that the camp began on Monday at The Ranch Hotel in Polokwane.

 There are already on the ground the technical staff and backroom staff headed by head coach Eric Chelle. Through Johannesburg, players are coming in all over the world.

 The team is preparing to play the Crocodiles at Peter Mokaba stadium and the training should begin today, Tuesday. They were informed though that assistant coach Daniel Ogunmodede will be coming to the camp in the afternoon. On Monday, he was in charge of the 2-0 Nigeria premier football league victory of Remo stars over Wikki tourism.

 The game shall be hosted in South Africa since Lesotho does not possess a FIFA or CAF-approved stadium to host international games at the moment.

 The host cities of the country have been rejected on numerous occasions due to poor conditions of the fields and unmatched structures. This makes the Crocodiles play their home matches using South African grounds. The prospects of Nigeria to qualify are based on their match with Lesotho. They stand at position four with 11 points out of eight matches but the table has now been transformed since FIFA sanctioned South Africa.

 Lesotho scored 3-0 and South Africa lost three points when the decision was arrived at. They have now drawn Benin on 14 points.  Close after them are Nigeria and Rwanda with 11 points each. Lesotho has nine points now. A team of 23 players has been selected by Super Eagles to play against Lesotho and Benin in their October qualifiers. The first time call up of Sevilla striker Akor Adams, who is on fire, has been made.

 Captain William Troost-Ekong heads them and they include Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, and Terem Moffi.

 These include Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, and Benjamin Fredrick who is capable of playing defence alongside Bruno Onyemaechi and Zaidu Sanusi who was later draughted to replace the injured Osayi-Samuel.

 Stanley Nwobali remains the first option custodian of playing time in the team with Amas Obasogie and Adebayo Adeleye reserved. Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, and Alhassan Yusuf will be positioned in the middle of the pitch, which will add some stability. Lesotho lodged a protest and the 2-0 South African win in March was invalidated as the Bafana Bafana went to the field with an illegally acquired player. In the two remaining games, the team of Chelle is aware that a win at Lesotho will mean a lot before their final home match against Benin in Uyo four days later.

 Nigeria has two possible points that will qualify it to automatically qualify; 17 points after two wins but depending on the outcome of Benin and South Africa.

 Tuesday will see the team do most of their activities related to recovery and tactical training as Chelle and his assistants begin refining their strategies on how to handle the must-win game.

 Friday, October 10, at Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, they will play Lesotho at 4 p. m. Nigerian time.

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