Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has declared that it is victory or nothing when they host Zimbabwe in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo on Tuesday.
Nigeria must win against the Warriors of Zimbabwe to keep alive their fading hopes of earning the only automatic ticket available to African qualifying Group C, four days after a key 2-0 victory in Rwanda.
Troost-Ekong reiterated on Monday that the three-time African champions will seek to control the game on Tuesday like they did with Rwanda in Kigali on Friday.
“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,” the Saudi Arabia-based centre-back told the Nigeria Football Federation media department.
“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.”
Tuesday’s win was the Super Eagles’ first in the campaign in five matches, moving them up to fourth spot in the six-team group, still four points adrift of leaders South Africa.
The Warriors trained at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Sunday morning, while the Super Eagles trained at the same venue in the evening.
Meanwhile, world football governing body FIFA has appointed Eritrean official Teklu Mogos Tsegay as the referee, with his compatriots as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official.
Ghanaian Prosper Harrison Addo will be the commissioner while Paulin Ilboudo from Burkina Faso will serve as referee assessor.
Leaders South Africa, on 10 points, face second-placed Benin Republic, on eight points, at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan in a match starting simultaneously with that of Uyo.
Lesotho, now in fifth place following their defeat by South Africa on Friday, will tackle Rwanda’s Amavubi at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium.
