Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong says the Super Eagles will work very hard to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite their fate not being entirely in their hands.
The Super Eagles kept their World Cup hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane on Friday, but remain third in Group C with 14 points, three behind leaders Benin Republic.
Nigeria face Benin in a decisive encounter at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday, and must win convincingly while hoping South Africa fail to beat Rwanda in Mbombela if they are to secure automatic qualification.
Despite the precarious situation, Troost-Ekong insists his team are focusing on their own performance rather than worrying about their rivals.
“We just have to focus on ourselves. We want to do better always. We have team of guys who want to do better. We have a winning mentality, we want to be at the World Cup,” Troost-Ekong said.
“The past nine months have not been easy. Now we have the opportunity with the game in Uyo against Benin Republic. We know we have to score a certain number of goals. We have to win the game convincingly.
It is going to be a big test again, and we will be ready. We have been working under pressure for a long time. This is the final for us, and we will work very hard to get there. Like the coach said, I’m proud of the team, and we will keep believing until the end.”
Second-half goals from Troost-Ekong and debutant Akor Adams secured the crucial victory over Lesotho, though goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali’s late error allowed the hosts to pull one back and set up a nervous finish.
Elsewhere in Group C, South Africa were held to a goalless draw by Zimbabwe in Durban, leaving Bafana Bafana on 15 points, while Benin Republic defeated Rwanda 1-0 in Kigali to maintain their position at the summit with 17 points.
The Super Eagles, who held their final training session in Polokwane on Saturday before departing for Uyo, face several pathways to automatic qualification, the most straightforward being victory over Benin while hoping South Africa drop points against Rwanda.
Nigeria currently trail both Benin Republic and South Africa on goal difference, meaning a strong performance could prove decisive if teams finish level on points.
Tuesday promises to be an eventful day with two matches taking centre stage in Group C, with the results determining which team will secure the automatic qualification spot to the global football competition scheduled for the USA, Canada and Mexico.
