The Super Eagles were left ruing missed opportunities as Zimbabwe snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Tuesday, March 25.
Victor Osimhen appeared to have secured all three points for Nigeria with a 74th-minute header, but substitute Tawanda Chirewa struck in the 90th minute, ensuring the Warriors walked away with a point.
Nigeria’s Qualification Hopes Take a Hit
The draw means Nigeria remains fourth in Group C with seven points, trailing second-placed Rwanda by one point, while Zimbabwe remains bottom of the group with four points.
Eric Chelle’s men had hoped to build on their 2-0 victory over Rwanda, while Michael Nees’ side were still in search of their first group win after drawing 2-2 against Benin on March 20.
Fast-Paced First Half but No Goals
The match got off to an intense start, with Moses Simon testing Washington Arubi early on, while Osimhen came close twice inside the opening eight minutes, forcing a save and having a shot cleared off the line.
Bright Osayi-Samuel also saw an effort denied in the 10th minute, before Zimbabwe’s Walter Musona fired just wide after sprinting past William Troost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey in the 14th minute.
The Super Eagles had another golden chance in the 16th minute, but Ademola Lookman could only find the side-netting. Khama Billiat nearly punished Nigeria three minutes later, but Stanley Nwabali stood firm in a one-on-one situation.
Despite the high tempo, both teams failed to convert their chances, and the first half ended goalless.
Super Eagles Wasteful Again in the Second Half
The Super Eagles started brightly after the break, and Alex Iwobi had a great chance in the 51st minute, but he fired wide. Lookman continued to threaten but sent another effort past the post in the 62nd minute, before Tolu Arokodare forced Arubi into a superb save with a 65th-minute header.
The breakthrough finally came in the 74th minute when Arokodare held up play and set up Ola Aina, whose pinpoint cross found Osimhen, and the Napoli striker powered home a header to put Nigeria 1-0 ahead.
Chirewa’s Late Stunner Punishes Nigeria
With just six minutes left, Wilfred Ndidi had a golden opportunity to seal the win but blazed his shot high and wide. That miss proved costly, as Chirewa pounced on sloppy Nigerian defending to slot home a dramatic 90th-minute equalizer for Zimbabwe.
Final Score:
🔹 Nigeria (0) 1 (Osimhen 74′)
🔹 Zimbabwe (0) 1 (Chirewa 90′)
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What’s Next?
The Super Eagles will need to regroup quickly as they chase automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe will take confidence from their late heroics as they aim to climb up the Group C standings.
Can Super Eagles recover in their next game, or will their wastefulness continue to haunt them?
