By Korede James
Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami has suggested that William Troost-Ekong may never live down his costly error in Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe.
Troost-Ekong was at fault for Zimbabwe’s 90th minute equaliser by Huddersfield Town player Tawanda Chirewa in Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Victor Osimhen had put the Super Eagles ahead on 74 minutes before the Zimbabweans snatched a late equaliser.
The result left the Super Eagles in fourth place in African qualifying Group C, six points behind leaders South Africa.
“Unfortunately, what Ekong did may haunt him for the rest of his life. It could be the moment Nigeria lost the opportunity to go to the 2026 World Cup,” Odegbami, the star of Nigeria’s first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980, wrote in his weekly column.
“It could turn out to be his last chance to attend a World Cup. It was a moment Nigerians, all 250 million of them, will remember forever.”
He explained Troost-Ekong’s misjudgment in the decisive moment which Chirewa took advantage of.
“Ekong took his leg off the pedal, probably thinking he might trip the attacker and give away a penalty kick (We will never know now),” the former Green Eagles winger wrote.
“He let the ball and the opposing attacker go through, a gift to the player who slid the ball under a helplessly sprawling Nwabali for an equalising goal that pierced the hearts of 250 million Nigerians like a knife.
“William Troost-Ekong has since apologised for that poor decision, and Nigerians have no choice but to forgive him.”
