Chelle chases second win against Warriors in Uyo

The Super Eagles will hope to build on their emphatic victory over Rwanda when they take on Zimbabwe in their next crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday (today), PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Nigeria claimed an all-important 2-0 win over the Amavubi at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday –breaking their 20-year winless streak in Rwanda – to revive the team’s ill-fated 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The Eagles had languished in fifth place after failing to secure victory in their first four matches of the qualification series. However, Friday’s robust performance against Rwanda has moved them to fourth position with six points, breathing new life into their World Cup aspirations.

Despite the victory over Rwanda, the three-time African champions remain ravenous for more points as they prepare to face Zimbabwe’s Warriors today.

Team captain William Troost-Ekong has made it clear that Nigeria cannot afford to drop any more points in their quest for a World Cup ticket.

“We are looking forward to a win. The three points are important to us. At this stage, we cannot afford to drop any more points.

“Our aim is to take it one match at a time, collect three points here and there and hope fervently that these will be enough to get us the ticket,” Ekong said on Monday.

New coach Eric Chelle has injected fresh vigour into Nigeria’s campaign; making a fine start to his tenure with last Friday’s commanding victory. The Abidjan-born Malian tactician was tasked with reigniting the Eagles’ faltering campaign after a frustrating run of four winless games under previous management.

The three-time African champions had managed just three draws before Chelle’s arrival, with frustrations reaching boiling point after a shocking 2-1 defeat to Benin in June 2024 that led to the departure of former coach Finidi George.

Osimhen, who missed all previous qualifiers amid controversy over his commitment to the national team, returned with a vengeance on Friday, netting both goals against Rwanda. The former African Footballer of the Year will be eager to continue his scoring form against Zimbabwe.

“We are ready. The remaining matches are wars and we must fight them with all that we have to win,” Osimihen said, echoing his captain’s fighting spirit.

With six points, Nigeria now trails second-placed Benin Republic by just two points and leaders South Africa by four, making Tuesday’s fixture a must-win as they aim to build momentum in their push for a place at the 2026 World Cup.

This will be the fourth World Cup qualifier meeting between Nigeria and Zimbabwe, with the Super Eagles victorious in two of the previous three encounters. However, their most recent clash ended in a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture of this campaign.

Zimbabwe showed resilience in their last outing, fighting back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Benin, with Marshall Munetsi and Knowledge Musona finding the net. Despite this spirited performance, Michael Nees’s men remain winless in the campaign with just three points from three draws.

The Warriors’ defence, which has conceded a group-high eight goals, will face a stern test against Nigeria’s formidable attacking duo of current African Best Player Ademola Lookman and the prolific Osimhen.

For the mouth-watering clash, FIFA has appointed Eritrean official Teklu Mogos Tsegay as the centre referee and he will be supported by his compatriots as assistant referee and fourth official. Ghanaian Prosper Harrison Addo will serve as commissioner, while Paulin Ilboudo from Burkina Faso has been designated as referee assessor.

In the other fixtures, group leaders South Africa, with 10 points, will face second-placed Benin Republic (eight points) at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan simultaneously with the Nigeria-Zimbabwe encounter.

Lesotho, now fifth following their defeat to South Africa, will take on Rwanda at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium in the final match of this round of Group C fixtures.