BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for the Super Eagles to qualify for the World Cup 2026.

The moment Zimbabwe’s substitute player, Tawanda Chirewa, sneaked through a Nigerian defence trying to wind down the clock at the dot of regulation time, it was not just an equaliser for the Brave Warriors of Zimbabwe; it was the beginning of the end of Nigeria’s lean chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

After three home matches in the series, the Super Eagles could not pick a win.  They have dropped six valuable points on home ground.

There are just two more home matches against Rwanda and Benin while the other two matches away will be contested in South Africa against the Bafana Bafana and also Lesotho who have adopted South Africa as their home ground.

On account of intense rivalry, it is unlikely that the Super Eagles will get breathing space on South African soil.

Even as the possibility exists that South Africa may suffer a three-point deduction over fielding an ineligible player in their Match Day 5 fixture, Nigeria will not be a direct beneficiary.  South Africa will still retain the leadership of the group.

Rather, Nigeria will drop from the current fourth position to the fifth.

It will be an advantage to Lesotho who will benefit and limp from the fifth position to second as their point haul will rise to 9, just one behind the likely 10 that South Africa will have if three points are deducted.

With Nigeria finding it difficult to win at home, the possibility of beating Rwanda in the 31 August Match Day 7 fixture cannot be guaranteed. Rwanda had beaten Nigeria on home ground before, they will be ambitious to repeat the feat against a team with sagging hopes and epileptic form.  

In a corresponding match, Lesotho may opt out of South Africa to prosecute their home fixture against Bafana Bafana as they are likely to be in contention for Group C leadership.

With just four matches to go and just 12 maximum points at stake, the possibility of getting a comfortable second position and qualifying for a tortious play-off looks remote.

Four best second-placed teams out of nine will go for a play-off that will produce a team for an Intercontinental play-off.

With the current trend, the likelihood of a Group C team qualifying for the play-off is very remote.  After six match days, depending on where the pendulum of FIFA‘s decision swings in the South Africa – Lesotho match, the best a Group C second-placed team will have going into match day 7 will be nine points for Lesotho if points are deducted from South Africa. If not, it will be Rwanda with eight points.

Already, the second-placed team in Group F, Gabon is on 15 points. Groups B, D, G, H and I already have second-placed teams on 12 points. Only in Group E where Morocco will likely pick a World Cup ticket on Match Day 7, has a second-placed team, Niger Republic, with a lower point haul than its counterpart in Group C.

With epileptic form, the chances of Super Eagles are very slim. Flashback to the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the 1-1 draw on Tuesday with Zimbabwe means that the Super Eagles have won just one World Cup qualifying duel in eight matches.

How the second-placed teams currently rank

Group A – Burkina Faso 11 points

Group B – Senegal – 12 points

Group C – Rwanda – 8 points (Lesotho potentially 9 pending FIFA’s decision)

Group D – Cameroon – 12 points

Group E – Niger – 6 points

Group F – Gabon 15 points

Group G – Mozambique – 12 points

Group H – Namibia – 12 points

Group I – Comoros Islands 12 points

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Brazil were humiliated 4-1 by bitter rivals Argentina in South American World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday as the pressure mounted on manager Dorival Jr after his side were comprehensively outplayed and fortunate not to lose by more.

After edging Colombia 2-1 at home on Thursday, Brazil came crashing back to earth against the world champions, who started the rout with a close-range strike by Julian Alvarez four minutes after kick-off.

Alvarez took a through pass from Thiago Almada in his stride and evaded two defenders before beating the advancing goalkeeper Bento with a gentle touch to his right.

“We humbly did our job and played a great game. We gave them a show,” Alvarez told reporters.

“It was a historic result, winning by 4-1, and that makes us really proud, I’m so happy for the fans, for helping the team and to see how we played an impressive game at home. It’s great to know that we are qualified for the World Cup.”

A 0-0 draw between Uruguay and Bolivia earlier on Tuesday had sealed Argentina’s spot at the 2026 World Cup as they became the first South American team to qualify for the tournament in North America.

Even without the injured Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez Argentina were streets ahead of their rivals and they did not have to wait long to extend their lead with Enzo Fernandez making it 2-0 in the 12th minute.

A terrific team goal saw Rodrigo de Paul, Almada and Alvarez combine before Fernandez finished off Nahuel Molina’s low cross at the far post.

Argentina were in full control and passing the ball around to chants of “Ole” from a sold-out crowd at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires when Brazil pulled one back, a mistake from defender Cristian Romero gifting Matheus Cunha a goal in the 26th minute.

But Argentina restored their two-goal lead in the 37th minute through Alexis Mac Allister, who fired home from a Fernandez cross following another superb team move.

Argentina, who have not lost to Brazil in six years, wasted several chances to extend their lead before substitute Giuliano Simeone wrapped up the scoring in the 71st minute, handing Brazil their heaviest defeat in a World Cup qualifier.

Argentina top the South American standings with 31 points from 14 matches, 16 points clear of seventh-placed Venezuela, who currently hold the spot for the international playoffs following their 1-0 win over Peru.

Brazil are fourth on 21 points.

-Reuters

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Algeria, Egypt and Morocco all moved closer to World Cup qualification with home success on Tuesday but South Africa face being docked points after fielding an ineligible player.

South Africa opened up a five-point lead at the top of Group C of the African qualifiers after a 2-0 away win over Benin, while their closest rivals slipped up.

But their victory came only hours after media revelations they could lose the points from last Friday’s home win over Lesotho because they fielded Teboho Mokoena when he should have been suspended after collecting two cautions in earlier qualifying matches.

Midfielder Mokoena was withdrawn from the South Africa side for Tuesday’s victory over Benin in Abidjan amid a stony silence from officials.

“I’m not commenting on the matter, it is something that will be sorted over the next week,” said South Africa coach Hugo Broos.

Previous African qualifying campaigns have seen countries who fielded an ineligible player docked the points from the match.

But with Nigeria giving up a last-gasp equaliser at home to Zimbabwe on Tuesday, South Africa have some wiggle room at the head of their group.

Nigeria led through Victor Osimhen’s 74th-minute diving header in Uyo but English-born substitute Tawanda Chirewa dribbled through the home defence to score a stoppage-time goal that gave plucky Zimbabwe a 1-1 draw.

Nigeria trail South Africa by six points with four matches to play with Benin and Rwanda five behind the leaders. Rwanda were held 1-1 at home by Lesotho on Tuesday.

AMOURA HAT-TRICK

Mohamed Amoura scored a hat-trick as Algeria thrashed their closest rivals Mozambique 5-1 in a key Group G clash in Tizi Ouzou and opened up a three-point lead.

Ahmed Zizo’s goal on the stroke of halftime gave Egypt a 1-0 home win over Sierra Leone in Cairo and a five-point advantage in Group A, while Morocco kept up their 100% record in Group E by beating Tanzania 2-0 in Oudja.

Centre back Nayef Aguerd broke the deadlock early in the second half, quickly followed by a second from the penalty spot converted by Brahim Diaz.

Dailon Livramento scored a double as the tiny Cape Verde Islands stunned Angola 2-1 away and took over at the top of Group D, one point ahead of Cameroon who won 3-1 at home over Libya with two goals from skipper Vincent Aboubakar and one from Bryan Mbeumo.

The Democratic Republic of Congo triumphed 2-0 away in Mauritania where midfielder Charles Pickel scored early and substitute Fiston Mayele added a late second for a victory that put them top of Group B.

They are one point ahead of Senegal, who were 2-0 victors at home over Togo with the opener from Pape Matar Sarr, followed by an own goal.

Africa’s qualifiers will resume in September with two more rounds of matches and conclude in October with another double set of games.

The nine group winners all qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The four best runners-up advance to a playoff which offers the opportunity for one more place at the finals in North America.

-Reuters

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