Super Eagles under-fire head coach, Jose Peseiro has defended his team’s disappointing 1-1 draw against the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The three-time African champions had struggled to force the Crocodiles of Lesotho to a 1-1 draw at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo last Thursday.
However, Nigerian football fans who believed the Eagles would make amends in their second fixture of the qualifiers were stunned when Walter Musona put the Warriors in front after 26 minutes with a 35-yard free-kick that eluded goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and sailed into the net.
Moses Simon’s stout shielding of the ball and good decision in the box allowed Kelechi Iheanacho to slam past the goalkeeper for Nigeria’s equalizer after 67 minutes in Butare.
“It was a tough, difficult trip from Nigeria in the flight, many hours, the players didn’t rest enough for quick play at the same level. First half, very bad, second half, much better” Peseiro said in his post-match presser.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers resume in June 2024 with Nigeria hosting South Africa, current leaders of Group C, before travelling to an away game against Benin Republic, where their former coach Gernot Rohr is waiting to exert his own revenge on Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles have returned to the country alongside top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
