Osimhen, Chukwueze Insist Poor Pitch Denied Super Eagles Big Win vs South Africa, Video
- Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen have blamed the poor pitch for the Super Eagles’ draw against South Africa
- Ola Aina and Wilfred Ndidi got injured during the game at the Free State Stadium due to bad playing conditions
- Nigeria must now win the final two qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin to stand a World Cup chance
Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze are still furious about Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Bloemfontein, blaming the poor pitch for their inability to secure victory.
The result dealt another blow to Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification hopes, leaving them with a mountain to climb.
Source: Getty Images
The game, played at the Free State Stadium, was marred by terrible pitch conditions that made passing and movement difficult.
Before kickoff, concerns had already been raised about the quality of the pitch, and those fears were quickly realised as players struggled to keep their footing.
Ola Aina and Wilfred Ndidi both suffered injuries due to the poor playing surface, sparking outrage among fans online.
Speaking ahead of Nigeria’s next match against Lesotho, Osimhen and Chukueze voiced their displeasure while inspecting the pitch at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
“If to say we play here, dem for chop 3,” Chukueze said to Osimhen in pidgin.
The Fulham forward’s comments suggest that Nigeria would have thrashed South Africa by at least three goals on a better surface.
Super Eagles’ hopes hang by a thread
The draw against South Africa means Nigeria’s World Cup qualification path has become extremely tight.
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With only two matches to go, against Lesotho and Benin, the Super Eagles must win both and hope South Africa drops points in their final games.
Despite the setback, the Super Eagles remain determined to keep their qualification hopes alive as they bid to return to the global football showpiece after missing the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Hugo Broos mocks Nigeria
Adding spice to the drama, South Africa’s head coach Hugo Broos has made bold claims ahead of the Nigeria vs Lesotho clash.
According to Daily Post, Broos suggested that Lesotho could defeat the Super Eagles, a result that would benefit Bafana Bafana’s qualification chances.
“Benin can lose and even Nigeria can lose against Lesotho but if we lose against Zimbabwe, there’s a big problem then.”
As seen on FIFA's official website, South Africa currently sit second in Group C, level on 14 points with Benin and three points ahead of Nigeria. With the race for qualification heating up, every point will now matter.
The Super Eagles, however, know what’s at stake, as Friday’s match against Lesotho is no longer just another qualifier, it is a must-win battle to keep Nigeria’s World Cup dream alive.
Nigeria’s World Cup qualification at risk
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup have taken a major hit after the backup plan that could have earned the Super Eagles a playoff ticket was ruled out.
The results from Match-day 9 in the World Cup qualifiers sealed Nigeria’s fate in that regard, leaving only one possible route, which is finishing top of Group C.
Source: Legit.ng
