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Super Eagles players, William Troost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey, have stated that the team is determined to fight until the end when they face Lesotho and Benin Republic in their final two matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Friday and Tuesday.
Both athletes encouraged their teammates to stay calm and composed.
Nigeria will compete against Lesotho on Friday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa.
The team currently finds itself in a challenging position, sitting third behind South Africa and Benin Republic in Group C with 11 points.
The three-time African champions are trailing Benin and second-placed South Africa by three points.
Speaking to sports reporters ahead of the match, Troost-Ekong expressed that the team will do everything possible to secure a victory.
“We are optimistic. We will fight until the end. We never stop believing,” he stated.
“We have two crucial games ahead; Friday is the first one, and afterward, we will return to Nigeria.
“Our focus is currently on Lesotho. The boys are in camp and concentrated.
“It has always been the same for us. Others now see the opportunity that we recognized earlier, and as I mentioned, we remain very optimistic and focused on the game on Friday.”
Bassey added, “We need to stay calm and execute our plan. This is not the first time, whether at the club or national level, that any of us has faced a high-pressure situation.
“We have an experienced team capable of managing this scenario. It’s essential that we ensure everything is done properly.”
Nigeria will be hoping for Benin and South Africa to drop points.
