Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has made three changes to his lineup as Nigeria take on South Africa in a must-win 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Free State Toyota Stadium on Tuesday evening, Bold Sports reports.
Captain William Troost-Ekong returns to the starting XI and will marshal the defense alongside youngster Benjamin Frederick, Calvin Bassey, and Ola Aina. In midfield, Alex Iwobi retains his place and will be joined by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru who scored in the reverse fixture in Uyo, and Wilfred Ndidi, who captained the side against Rwanda.
In attack, Cyriel Dessers leads the line in the absence of injured star striker Victor Osimhen, while matchwinner against Rwanda, Tolu Arokodare, starts on the bench. Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman will provide width from the flanks.
Nigeria go into the clash sitting fourth in the standings with 10 points, following Rwanda’s 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe, which pushed them up to third. A win in Bloemfontein is thus crucial for the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification hopes.
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For hosts South Africa, currently top of the table with 16 points, victory could secure an early ticket to the 2026 World Cup if Benin fail to beat Lesotho later in the day.
Kick-off for the highly anticipated encounter is set for 5 pm Nigerian time, and Bold Sports will provide live updates across its social media platforms.
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