Match Day LIVE
Match Week – Group Stage .Round 9.
World Cup Qualifier (African Zone ).
Lesotho vs Nigeria .
Venue -Peter Mokaba Stadium ,South Afirca
Date – October 10, 2025
Time -5 pm , UK
The Super Eagles have been given a life line for their qualification for the World Cup 2026 ahead of today s hostilities , in South Africa , with the disciplinary measure by FIFA the football rulling body against South Africa for fielding an ineligible player in their last group games against Lesotho which they won 2-0 ,during the fifth round games ,they deducted the three points from the Bafana Bafana and ruled that they lost the match 3-0 .
Before now , the Super Eagles were not sure of qualification for the Global fiesta in the Americas , hence losing out in two consecutive World Cup editions , as they did not qualify for the Quatar 2022 edition which Argentina won.
With two games remaining , Nigeria have been handed an opportunity to qualify for the Mundial in USA , Mexico and Canada next year , but they must win against Lesotho today to cross this hurdle, at least to be on the safer side as their faith is no more in their hands for qualification ,
No tactical command or Pukka play will save them apart from a *Straight Win* if I may use the words or language of the football betting world .
If we may trace the cause of our non performance so far in this World Cup 2026 qualifiers , we will start with the ineptitude of former Coach of the Super Eagles ,as well as former Super Eagles winger , Finnidi George , who did not do well for the country during the qualifiers as he lost to minnows , Benin and drew with Rwanda as well that kept us where we are right now .land we are now begging for qualification .praying for South Africa or Rwanda to lose .
With only two wins from eight games against Rwanda and Benin , we sit tight in the third position in Group C behind minnows Benin who are marginally ahead of us on superior goal aggregate , and South Africa Group leaders for now , our faith of qualification right now is out of our hands , is a sad story not to be told anywhere in the football world and sweet should also pray that Group leaders , South Africa will drop points
Five nations are still legible to qualify for now from Group C ,hoping to top the Group , the Super Eagles must beat in a *straight win* as they say ,no half measures and possibly with more goals to lesson their burden of qualifications , if two terms tallies on points , the team with superior goal aggregate qualifies , it’s really going to be a duanting task for them at Polokwane , Lesotho this evening when they file out against Leosrho.
With the hope of finishing as the best four runners up in this group stage still alive , this may not be possible for Group C as Gabon (19) points , Madagascar (16) , DR Congo ,(15), and Burkina Faso (15) points , these countries occupy these spots for now before round 9 began. while Uganda , Cameron and Nambia have 15 points each ahead of South Africa s 14 points
Technically as Lesotho hosts Nigeria in Polokwane , South Africz as all their home games are played in South Africa and not Lesotho ,know fully well that they have an outside chance of qualifying for the Mundial for the first time after the two round of games of 9 and 10 that remains ,through they have a life line for qualification if they can unseat and win their next two games , but is almost a rarity .
The possibsiity is also mathematically feasible for the Crocodiles of Lesotho but almost impossible too , considering that they got nine points from eight games and only benefitted from the FIFA deduction of South Africa points to get a 3-0 win and three points in the fifth round .
They are five points behind Group C leaders , South Africa and Benin , second place as well as two points behind Super Eagles and Rwanda , underlines the challenge they will face to qualify as well as surprising Group leaders after the October International Break.
Leostho’s mission seems impossible considering their winning only one match from nine games and only got a lift from FIFA s deduction against South Africa and awarded the math to them 3-0 due to Mokeana ‘s inillegibilty .making more difficult for them to over take the four nations ahead of them
All their home games are played in South Africa at Peter Mokwaeno Stadium in Polokwane , and not Lesotho is also a minus for them, .though they will hope to pull a surprise against the Super Eagles ahead of the last and 10th round of the World Cup Qualifiers in Group C, Africa Zone .
That will be the greatest upset in the qualifiers for the World Cup ,2026 .
With four different goal scorers in their team including the one that scored against the Super Eagles draw 1-1 in November ,2023 ,Mkwanzi , highlights their lack of a play maker , as there is no major striker or mid fielder that can change the game for them .
.Most of their strikers are ye to score in this qualifying campaign , like Sera Motebang , will like to give a good account of himself by scoring today against Nigeria . but let’s see if he will break the jinx .as the Crocodiles seek to stun the West African Nation
Goal tender and shot stopper Sehkoeane Moarang will need to be in top form to stop goal hungry Super Eagles striker .
The Nigerian Super Eagles talisman , Victor Osimehn is back to the team after injury crisis and will pep to the attack of the Eagles this evening .
Ademola Lukmon who have had a slow start in the season in the Serie A was hoping for a move away from Atlanta BC in Bergamo will also not be taken for granted by the Crocodiles of Lesotho as well as Nice of France Simon Moses likely to start from the bench , other things being equal
Out of Favour by the fans who have been questiioning his performance so far in the Eagles ,Alex Iwobi will be very much available for Eagles in the engine room or mid field pack and he will be an asset in creating chances and assists , as he does for his club side in UK , Fulham .
Ola Aina misses out for today’s match due to injury sustained in their last match against South Africsn , in his absence , at the rear , Bright Isayi – Sameul and Cyril Dessers have been replaced by Zaidu Sannusi and Christantius Uche ,initially included in the team list ahead of today’s hostilities
Predictions .
In the real sense if the qualifiers in Group C , and the progress so far ,Nigeria and Lesotho are not suppose to qualify for next year’s Mundial in North America , judging .by the performance .
Though Football is not always like that , we can all remember in 1992/93 Yuhoslavian war that affected the former Yugoslavia now Croatia and Slovakia , Yugoslavia qualified ahead of Denamrk for the Euro 1992 Cup , but due to the on going war there , they could not atend, so UEFA governing body recalled the Danish National team that came second in the qualifying campaign to replace the Slovakia , as faith and luck would have it , Denmark came from behind without qualifying to win the Euro 1992 Cup to the greatest surprise of UEFA
The Dans made history for themselves that time , that was during the playing days of Peter Schmichael of Man United ,when Man United was Man United , that’s a bit of history that might repeat itself in Nigeria s Favour .and football fans all over the world would love to see Nigeria in next year’s World Cup , 2026 and not the lesser African Countries .
Victor Osimehn return to the team will also be a threat to the Crocodiles who might find it difficult to bite an eagle eyed , Super Eagles attackers in today’s match
Lestoho – 0- 3 Or 1-4
Happy Viewing and HappyWeekend and welcome to the African Zone of the World Cup Qualifiers ,Round 9.
Uche Anaba .
Uchefreetips 2025 (C).
Email -ucheanaba@gmail.com
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https://worldbeatx.com/
