Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong says the team will not dwell on their 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Uyo but are instead fully focused on Tuesday’s decisive World Cup qualifier against South Africa in Bloemfontein.
Nigeria’s hard-fought win at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium kept their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification hopes alive, but the dressing room atmosphere reflected determination rather than celebration. “We have an important game again on Tuesday. I saw the changing room directly after the game — there was not even a celebration. There is a real desire to keep pushing on,” Troost-Ekong said.
The veteran defender, who started from the bench, stressed that while the three points against Rwanda were vital, the true test of Nigeria’s revival would come against Bafana Bafana, who currently lead Group C.
Head coach Eric Chelle’s bold decision to start 20-year-old Benjamin Fredrick ahead of Ekong drew attention, but the captain defended the move and praised the youngster’s performance. “We should say a big congratulations to Benjamin. He played an amazing game today. To come into a game loaded with a lot of pressure at his age, it’s not an easy thing,” Ekong said.
Nigeria’s victory lifted them to 10 points, leaving them in pursuit of South Africa, who top the group with 16 points. The stakes in Bloemfontein are high: a win could swing momentum back in Nigeria’s favour, while a defeat would almost certainly end their chances of securing the sole automatic qualification spot.
