World Cup qualifying in 2026: Three crucial points disappear Hugo Broos and Finidi George at a fork in the road
Former Ajax star Finidi George is on a rescue mission, having taken the role of the Super Eagles’ head coach following the exit of Jose Peseiro, Soccernet.ng reports.
Under the Portuguese gaffer, four points were lost against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, with both World Cup qualifying matches ending in 1-1 draws.
Meanwhile, Hugo Broos led Bafana Bafana to their first bronze medal in 23 years after Nigeria sent them to a third-place finish following a 4-2 penalty defeat in the semi-final of the African Nations Cup.
Retaining his position as head coach, Broos is tasked with securing a World Cup ticket for South Africa, their first since 2010.
However, their participation is now in jeopardy after a 2-1 victory against Benin Republic and a 2-0 loss to Rwanda, intensifying their desire for victory against Nigeria.
Nigeria last defeated South Africa in a 4-2 penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw at the Peace Stadium in Boigne, Côte D’Ivoire, during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
This upcoming match is a revenge mission for Broos, who is eager to avenge the loss that could have placed his team in the tournament final against Côte d’Ivoire.
“I think one minute to the end, the big chance that Khuliso had, if he could have scored that goal, we were in the final. And as I said earlier, if we were in the final we had a chance against Ivory Coast,” Broos told SABC as earlier reported by Soccernet.ng.
More than a revenge mission, the Belgian tactician views the match against Nigeria—the toughest team in the qualifiers group—as a must-win following their embarrassing 2-0 loss to Rwanda.
Bafana Bafana of South Africa and Nigeria’s Super Eagles are slated to face off at the Nest of Champions, Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Friday at 8:00 pm Nigerian time
