Nigeria were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in a decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday evening Senegal came from two down to win 3-2 in Kinshasa and take charge of Group B.
South Africa 1-1 Nigeria
Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup are fading away after failing to beat South Africa in Johannesburg. The Eagles may miss out on the world’s football stage for the second time in a row should Bafana Bafana win at least one of their remaining two qualifying games against Rwanda and Lesotho.
Coach Eric Chelle’s men went into the game needing a win to boost their chances of reaching the finals in the United States, but an early setback saw captain William Troost-Ekong score an own goal in the 25th minute, handing the hosts the lead.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
A moment of miscommunication in Nigeria’s defence ended with Troost-Ekong inadvertently steering the ball into his own net.
The error handed Bafana Bafana the lead and sparked wild celebrations among the home supporters.
Nigeria, however, refused to wilt. Their response was swift, and just before half-time, they restored parity. From a well-delivered set piece, defender Calvin Bassey powered home a header beyond the reach of South Africa’s goalkeeper.
The goal silenced the Bloemfontein crowd and gave the Super Eagles renewed belief as the teams went into the interval level at 1-1.
The second half was fiercely contested, with both sides creating half-chances but lacking composure in the final third.
Chelle introduced Tolu Arokodare in an effort to add height and physicality to Nigeria’s attack, while South Africa tightened defensively to protect their advantage at the top of the table.
There was also a lighter off-field moment that caught fans’ attention: video footage from the players’ tunnel showed Nigeria’s Wilfred Ndidi slipping and crashing into teammate Moses Simon, a clip that quickly went viral on social media.
As the minutes ticked away, Nigeria pushed forward in search of a winner, but South Africa remained resolute.
In the end, both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils when the referee signaled full time.
The draw keeps South Africa in pole position in Group C, leaving them well placed for a direct ticket to the World Cup. For Nigeria, however, the result was less encouraging.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The Super Eagles remain outside the automatic qualification spots and now face the difficult task of relying on other results and possibly a play-off route if they are to reach the 2026 finals.
It was a night that summed up Nigeria’s campaign so far — flashes of quality undone by costly mistakes and a lack of clinical finishing from an attack lacking injured Victor Osimhen.
DR Congo 2-3 Senegal
Senegal produced a stirring comeback in Kinshasa to leapfrog DR Congo at the top of Group B.
The Leopards raced into a two-goal lead: Bakambu swept home after a fine move and Wissa doubled the advantage following a handling error by Édouard Mendy.
Teranga Lions hit back before the break through Pape Gueye’s crisp drive, levelled when Jackson reacted quickest to a rebound, and completed the turnaround three minutes from time as Pape Sarr steered in the winner.
They now control the group heading into October’s fixtures against South Sudan and Mauritania.
DR Congo must regroup quickly for meetings with Togo and Sudan to keep their challenge intact.
