Nigeria Defeats Lesotho 2-1 In FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Keeps Qualification Hopes Alive

Awarenessinfohub has gathered Super Eagles of Nigeria have taken a crucial step towards qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Lesotho in their Group C qualifier match.

William Troost-Ekong's penalty kick in the 55th minute and Akor Adams' clinical finish in the 80th minute gave Nigeria the win, despite Lesotho's spirited response, which saw them score through Kalake in the 83rd minute.

The match, played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa, was a closely contested affair, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. 

Nigeria's victory keeps their World Cup qualification hopes alive, with the team now sitting in third place in Group C with 14 points.

The win narrows the gap between Nigeria and Group C leaders Benin Republic, who have 17 points after their win over Rwanda. South Africa sits second with 15 points, following their draw against Zimbabwe.

For Nigeria to qualify for the World Cup, they will need to navigate one of the following pathways:

Nigeria needs to win their final match against Benin Republic to stay in contention for automatic qualification.

Nigeria can hope that Benin Republic and South Africa drop points in their last fixtures, which would give the Super Eagles an opportunity to catch up.

Nigeria trails Benin and South Africa in goal difference, so scoring more goals and keeping a clean sheet could be decisive if teams finish level on points.

Nigeria remain third in the standings, three points behind group leaders Benin and one shy of South Africa, who drew 0-0 with lowly Zimbabwe. If the Super Eagles beat Benin by two goals and South Africa fail to beat Rwanda, they will top the group and reach the World Cup.

Nigeria's next match is against Benin Republic on October 14, 2025, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. The match will be crucial in determining Nigeria's fate in the qualifiers.

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