2026 World Cup Qualifiers: William Troost-Ekong issues warning to Benin after crucial win over Lesotho

Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has fired a warning shot at Benin Republic ahead of their decisive World Cup qualifier in Uyo, following the Super Eagles’ hard-fought 2-1 victory over Lesotho on Friday evening.

The PAOK defender opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Akor Adams doubled Nigeria’s lead to secure three vital points at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.

The result keeps the Super Eagles in contention for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, trailing Group C leaders Benin by just three points.

Speaking after the match, Troost-Ekong emphasised the team’s determination to finish the job when they host Benin in their final qualifier on Tuesday.

“We want to be at the World Cup we’ve said that now for the last nine months and we have the opportunity now with the game in Uyo against Benin who we know we have to score certain amount of goals, it was always the case we need to win the game and we have to win it convincingly,” the Super Eagles captain said, as per Complete Sports.

The Super Eagles skipper praised his teammates for their resilience under pressure, adding that the squad is mentally prepared for the final challenge.

“It’s going to be a big test again, but now I think the team is really ready. We’ve been working on the pressure for such a long time, and we know this is the final, and we worked really hard to get there and like the coach said, I’m proud of the team.”

“These kinds of games are never easy, the coach said about the pressure which has been on us since March and maybe since the start of the qualifiers. We just want to focus on ourselves. We are a team of guys that have a winning mentality; they want to be winners.”

The high-stakes clash against Benin in Uyo will determine whether Nigeria keeps their World Cup dream alive.