Nigeria were held to a 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe in a World Cup qualifying match marked by late drama at the Nest of Champions in Uyo. The Super Eagles, who had rebounded from a poor start to their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory in Rwanda last Friday under new head coach Eric Chelle, failed to capitalize on their momentum.
Despite taking the lead in the 74th minute when Victor Osimhen headed past an in-form Washington Arubi, Nigeria could not hold onto their advantage. Arubi, the Zimbabwean goalkeeper, had put in an outstanding performance, frustrating the Nigerian attack for much of the game.
The late twist came in the 90th minute when Zimbabwe’s Tawanda Chirewa toe-poked the ball beneath Stanley Nwabali to secure an unexpected point for the visitors.
With this result, Nigeria now sits six points behind Group C leaders South Africa, with four qualifiers remaining. Finishing second in the group to secure a play-off spot has become the most realistic path for the Super Eagles as they strive for a place on the global stage next summer.
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