The Super Eagles slipped from third to fourth place in Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers without playing a match, following Benin Republic’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda in their third group game on Thursday.
Under the guidance of former Super Eagles coach Genort Rohr, Benin surpassed Nigeria and South Africa, advancing to second place in the group with four points (equalling the leaders, Rwanda) after securing a first-half goal by Dodo Dokou, leading to their victory at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, their chosen home ground in Ivory Coast.
However, Rwanda’s inability to secure points from the match is seen as an unexpected benefit for the Eagles, who must secure a victory against South Africa in Uyo on Friday (today) to capitalize fully on the outcome.
A triumph for Nigeria against Bafana Bafana would propel them to the summit of the table with five points, edging ahead of Rwanda by one point, who have maintained their lead with four points since defeating South Africa in their second match of the series.
Following their encounter with Bafana today, the Eagles face another challenging encounter against the Squirrels in Ivory Coast on Monday, while South Africa will face Zimbabwe.