South Africa draw Nigeria to lead Group C for di 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers

Player wearing yellow wit jersey 19 happily looking at di camera, and anoda player on Nigerian jersey wit mouth open to di camera

- Author, Adesola Ikulajolu
- Role, Journalist
- Reporting from, Lagos
9 September 2025
Read am in 10 mins

Bafana Bafana of South and Super Eagles of Nigeria don share points again for dia Fifa World Cup qualifiers game.

Dis game decide many tins for South Africa as dia joy afta di final whistle show say dia hope don increase to qualify wit just two games more to go.

Nigeria captain Troost-Ekong bin do mistake score own goal for di 25th minutes, as di ball go past Stanley Nwabali wey no expect di ball. Ekong bin wan clear di ball comot but na inside net e go.

Dat na how South Africa take get early lead for di game and dem mount more pressure ontop di Super Eagles wit different counter attacks.

Ademola Lookman no too show imsef for di game, maybe becos im guy Victor Osimhen no play sake of injury, so nobodi fit square play wit am but e still put bodi small.

Nigeria first pain come wen Ola Aina get injury and dem gatz carri am comot for di game.

Afta plenti pressure from Foster and Mokoena, Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley nwabali no too shake as e tanda for post.

Howeva, tins change for Nigeria when Dele-Bashiru give correct up ball to Calvin Bassey. Bassey nod di ball from up and e enta South Africa net.

Dat equaliser bin create big chance for Nigeria for di first half and e ginger dem to play more to search for goals.

During di match, di two coaches bin wan look each oda eye sake of pressure wey don dey, as dem move close to follow each oda tok wit vex.

Fantastic display by Moses Simon as e create different chances but dem no convert am. Ngezana give South Africa good defence as e block many long passes.

South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams no fail to show imsef wit good saves for front of di net.

Wen Tolu Arokodare bin enta for Nigeria, di game change small as e come wit pressure ontop di South Africa side. But still, goals no show.

Na so di game end for 1 - 1 and di two teams share di point.

South Africa dey lead group C now wit 17 points while Nigeria dey second wit 11 points. E go take extra efforts, grace and miracles for Nigeria to sail through to qualify for di 2026 World Cup.

E remain two games for di teams and na who top di table go qualify- except if di play-off go favour di Eagles.

Even if Nigeria win dia next two games, na just six points dem go gada, but South Africa get hope say even if dem draw or win dia next matches, na dem go still top di table to qualify.

How South Africa vs Nigeria take waka

Tank you say you dey wit us for dis commentary.

South Africa 1 - 1 Nigeria

FINAL WHISTLE

90+7mins- Ademola Lookman dey vex for wetin di referee blow wen di ball touch am.

Time dey run ooo. Samuel Chukwueze dribble enta di net, but no show oooo.

90+5min- Tolu Aorokodare wit di ball, long run but Ngezana tackle am and block di ball make e no near dia net.

Di South Africa dey defend wit dia strenght to prevent Nigeria make dem no score becos e go brutal if Nigeria lead ids game

90+3mins- Foster is out for South Africa.

90+2mins- Calvin Bassey wit good passes from di side of di box. Nigeria dey find goal as dem dey mount pressure ontop South Africa.

Ball kontinue as both teams dey find goal. Pressure from South Africa but nothin show

7MINUTES ADDED

90mins- Nwabali off di post afta e chase di ball go side. Ball in play, hope no be goal oo. No way, Nwaballi back to post.

89mins- Bruno Onyemeachi don chop Yellow card ooooo.

88mins- FREE KICK for South Africa. Quick one but dem no fit convert am

CORNER for South Africa. Dem don play am oooo, but Tolu Arokodare nod di ball go up bifor South Africa player kick am go goalkick.

South Africa don ginger as dem dey put more pressure

85mins- Godwin wit di good run against South Africa player, e guide di ball go goalkick. Dat na brilliant one fro dat side to protect di ball from opponent.

FREE KICK for Nigeria, Chukwueze take di kick, not so long, but Nigeria dey in control

83mins- Ronwen Williams catch di ball and throw am back afta Tolu charge an

More pressure from Nigeria for front of South Africa goalpost.

82mins- Chukwueze wit di correct ball, good dribble. Comot jare, see as e dribble dat player. Ademola Lookman touch di ball, pass am back to Chukwueze

YELLOW CARD' Mokoena chop yellow ontop challenge agains

South Africa 1 - 1 Nigeria

80mins- Danger for Nigeria as Foster carry di ball

79mins- Chukwueze wit di ball, dribble for di sideline. But di ball touch Kabini go corner but di referee say na goalkick

77mins- SUBSTITUTION' Moses Simon out, while Samuel Chukwueze don enta.

Ademola Lookman wit di dribble inside South Africa box

Tolu Arokodare wit di ball, for di edge of di box, e fire dat ball straight but dem block am

75mins- Di game don resume. South Africa wit di attack, but Nigeria defenders pull out di ball.

Di shouts for di stadium dey go loud as both teams still dey find goals. Dem don carry Mokoena comot for pitch.

So much tension from di sideline. Eric Chelle and Hugo Broos, be like say both coaches dey vex as dem exchange words.

70mins- Mokoena don fall afta. Be like e go need medical help.

69mins- SUBSTITUTION Ndidi don comot, as Uche enta for Nigeria.

67mins- Mbokazi wit di LONG SHOT, but e no enta. From a long wide

65mins- Mbule wit di ball, e stretch inside Nigeria box 18, but Osayi push am comot for Nigeria. CORNER for South Africa. Dem play di corner quick quick.

63mins - SUBSTITUTION Moyane don enta for South Africa wit jersey number 2. We go see if e go fti bring any change to di Bafana Bafana team.

South Africa 1 - 1 Nigeria

60mins- Di scoreline neva change but di celebration dey go on. Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams dey down and dem dey attend to am

Counter attack for South Africa but Nigerian defenders hold am down to prevent any Bafana players from going into dia net

58mins- Loud noise for di stadium. Referee blow afta Foster push Calvin Bassey from high jumping

56mins- Dele-Bashiru carry di ball enta South Africa box, e dribble di defenders, try to fire di shot but South Africa goalkeepr Williams clear di ball, Ademola Lookman try block di ball but im leg no touch am.

54mins- Stanley Nwabali neva get too much to do for dis game and e dey confident for front of goal. Some South Africa players dey warm up for di bench

52mins- Appollis carry di ball but Nigerian players no allow am carry am pass di box 18 as dem block am

50mins- WHAT A MISS!!! Di ball pass front of South Africa goalpost and nobodi dey to kick am in. Dat for put Nigeria for good lead. Tolu Arokodare play dat ball pass Williams Ronwen but e no enta

49mins- Long run by Tolu Arokodare, e team up wit Ademola Lookman, e dribble enta di box 18

47mins- FREE KICK fro Nigeria and YELLOW CARD to Aubass for im tackle on Bashiru. Quick one dia and di ball dey in play for Nigeria.

Second Half don start and Nigeria dey wit di ball.

46mins- SUBSTITUTION Dessers is out and Tolu Arokodare don enta

South Africa 1 - 1 Nigeria

SECOND HALF

HALF-TIME

South Africa 1 - 1 Nigeria

Calvin Bassey wit di ball, now for dangerous area wia e fit shoot, but di South Africa team no allow am. Di South Africa players dey boil as dem dey play confam counter attack wit fast ball

3MINS ADDED TIME

South Africa 1 - 1 Nigeria

Calvin Bassey wit dat header inside di net. Dele-Bashiru supply dat great pass and Bassey nod am enta di net for Nigeria

44mins- GOOAAAAALLLL

42mins- Anoda CORNER KICK for Nigeria

40mins- CORNER KICK for Nigeria. Calvin Bassey no allow make dem push am comot for di box 18

37mins- Calvin Bassey no gree ooo, e clear Nkota comot fro di ball, but di referee catch am and e blow foul

35mins- Good ball control by South African players for di edge of Nigeria box. Good one for Nigeria as dem collect di ball back. Moses Simon moving dangerous to di South Africa box

Yeeeeee, dem don collect ball from Nigeria ooo. Foster wit di good run for South Africa, e go fit shoot? No way, Nigerian defendrs no gree for am, and Nwabali tap am for back

33mins- Alex Iwobi wit di ball, good passes within di midfield. Bassey wit di ball as e move forward while passing di ball round.

30mins- Tins no dey go well yet for dis Nigeria team ooo. Clearly South Africa dey take charge of di game wit good passes. Goalkeeper Williams Ronwen confidently passing di ball wit im players for inside dia box 18

27mins- Mokoena wit di ball again but dem don flag am.

South Africa 1 - 0 Nigeria

Dis na painful one for NIgeria

Troost-Ekong bin do mistake to kick di ball into di net behind Nwabali afta Nkota bin cross di ball out into Nigeria box 18

25mins- GOOOAAAALLL. Dat na own goal

South Africa 0 - 0 Nigeria

Thunder dey show for di sky but di match still dey go on

22mins- Appollis again wit di pressure to cross di ball out for front of Nigeria goalpost. Ohhhhh, di ball go wide. Calvin Bassey wit di ball, e don fall from push wey South Africa player give am

20mins- Alex Iwobi wit good pass to Calvin Bassey, Nigeria wit good pressure on di Bafana Bafana. Dem go fit make am? Mdunyelwa catch di ball and hit am

18mins- WHAT A SAVE BY NWABALI. Appolis fire dat shot from di angle of di box 18, but Nwabali block am make e no enta di net. Nwabobo don save Nigeria from defeat

17mins- YELLOW CARD, both Ademola Lookman and Ngezana don chop yellow card at di same time afta dem tackle each oda and come dey do yeye tin

15mins- Bright-Osayi di substitute wit a great run, e dey run go South Africa side but Mbokazi block am make e no enta dia box 18, e fall and referee just blow make dem no fight. Small anger dey bodi of di players

South Africa 0 - 0 Nigeria

13mins- Long pass to Nkota, oh no, e no fit control am well, as di ball go throw-in.

11mins- Moses Simon wit di ball, e carry am near di corner line, but di ball go goalkick afta good tackle by South Africa player

9 mins- SUBSITUTION Ola Aina is out sake of injury. Dis no be good sign at all

WHAT a hard tackle on Ola Aina by South Africa Kabini. E don fall, e neva fit stand.

THROW-IN for Nigeria

5mins- Mbule doing some tricks for South Africa for di middle but Nigerian midfielders no gree

3mins- Great run by South Africa player through to di Nigerian goalpost, Nkota nod di ball but e go off di bar and Nwabali no stress at all

Quick free kick dia by di Bafana Bafana

FREE KICK for South Africa

Nkota wit di ball, great move, but Nigerian players stop am and referee blow free kick

1mins- Nigeria dey in possession for di first 30 seconds of di game as Ola Aina handle di ball well.

KICK OFF

0mins- Di two teams don sing dia national anthem and di stadium full of shouts and different sounds

FIRST HALF

Super Eagles of Nigeria and di Bafana Bafana of South Africa go face diasef again for di Group C match for di ongoing Fifa 2026 World Cup qualifiers game

Di last time wey South Africa and Nigeria jam for June 2024 for di Godswill Akpabio International stadium for Uyo, na draw dem play afta goals from Themba Zwane and Dele-Bashiru.

South Africa currently dey lead Group C wit 16 points while Nigeria dey third position wit 10 points. A win for both teams go mean higher chance to qualify for di World Cup.

Super Eagles of Nigeria bin try to keep dia Fifa 2026 World Cup hope alive afta dia 1-0 win ova dia group C counterpart Rwanda.

Struggle for who go qualify for group C don dey high as di match between Nigeria and South Africa go help both teams make statement say dem ready to go World Cup.

Meanwhile, World Football governing body Fifa still neva rule on di mata wey dem carry go dia dormot say South Africa field an ineligible player for dia 3-0 game against Lesotho.

If di ruling no favour South Africa, e mean say e go affect dia points and Group C go dey veri tight for teams to qualify.

Howeva, na only nine group winners dey guaranteed to qualify for di World Cup next year, and di four best-placed runners-go hustle for di play-offs wey go happun for November to give dem anoda chance to try qualify for di 2026 Fifa World Cup.

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