TheCable

The Super Eagles of Nigeria managed a disappointing 1-1 draw with Lesotho in the opening game of their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign.

Nigeria crawled from a goal down to secure the draw at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo on Thursday.

Lesotho shocked the home crowd with a resilient performance to earn the country’s first-ever point against the Eagles.

Jose Peseiro, Super Eagles head coach, named Victor Boniface and Taiwo Awoniyi to lead the team’s attack, with Victor Osimhen out injured.

Kelechi Iheanacho was handed the captain’s band, while Ademola Lookman started on the left flank ahead of Moses Simon.

Jamilu Collins slotted in at left-back, and Bright Osayi-Samuel was named on the other side of the defence while Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Calvin Bassey played in front of Francis Uzoho.

The Eagles controlled the game as expected from the first blast of the whistle but struggled to nail the finishing touches.

Collins came close to giving Nigeria a lead early in the game, but his snapshot was stopped by Benedict Moerane, the Basotho goalkeeper.

Iheanacho’s freekick was also palmed to safety a few minutes later before Awoniyi missed an open net after an instinctive cutback from Boniface.

Just before the first half ended, Lookman had his curler teed away from goal by Moerane, and the goalkeeper also claimed a free header from Boniface.

However, the tide turned in the second half and Lesotho stunned the entire stadium with the game’s opening goal.

Motlomelo Mkhwanazi rose highest to direct a header from a corner kick past Uzoho.

The Eagles dialled up the game’s tempo in search of an equaliser. Boniface smashed a shot against the upright in desperation.

But the home side’s reinvigoration paid off shortly afterwards, as Ajayi leapt high to receive a corner kick delivery from Iheanacho. The defender powered the ball into the roof of the net to drag Nigeria level.

A late winner never came for the Eagles despite a late push.

Nigeria will fly to Rwanda to play Zimbabwe at the Huye Stadium in Butare on Sunday. The match is the team’s second game of the qualifiers.

The 2026 World Cup is billed to be jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will be the largest edition of the World Cup, with 48 teams set to participate — an expansion from the previous 32 participants.

There will be nine automatic qualification slots for African countries, with one guaranteed a play-off route to the tournament.

Nigeria was drawn in Group C of the qualification round alongside South Africa, Benin, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.