Victor Osimhen’s second-half header was not enough to secure victory as Zimbabwe fought back to claim a 1-1 draw against Nigeria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo.
Osimhen looked to have given the Super Eagles a vital win with a well-placed header, but substitute Tawanda Chirewa struck late to salvage a point for the visitors, dealing a blow to Nigeria’s qualification campaign.
Dominant start but no breakthrough
Nigeria began brightly, controlling possession and pressing high up the pitch.
Osimhen had two early opportunities, first seeing his effort turned behind by the Zimbabwe goalkeeper before heading narrowly wide from the resulting corner.
Right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel then found himself one-on-one with the keeper but was denied at the last moment, as Zimbabwe’s defence held firm against the early onslaught.
The Warriors, despite Nigeria’s dominance, carried a threat on the counter-attack.
Walter Musona’s powerful strike hit the side netting in the 15th minute, offering a warning sign to the hosts.
Moments later, Khama Billiat nearly broke through, only for Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali to intervene just in time.
Moses Simon, Nigeria’s liveliest attacker, continuously stretched Zimbabwe’s backline but was guilty of poor decision-making in key moments, often opting to shoot instead of providing Osimhen with better service.
The best opportunity of the first half fell to Samuel Chukwueze, who saw his first-time strike flash past the post following a swift counter-attack led by Alex Iwobi and Simon.
Nigeria thought they should have been awarded a penalty just before the interval when Osimhen appeared to be fouled in the box, but the referee waved away appeals, leaving the home side frustrated as they went into the break goalless.
Osimhen breaks the deadlock
Eric Chelle’s side resumed with urgency, carving out several chances.
Osimhen, Lookman, and Simon all had promising opportunities but failed to convert.
A moment of quality eventually put Nigeria in front with 17 minutes left.
Ola Aina delivered a pinpoint cross, and Osimhen rose highest to guide a header into the net.
The goal was the Napoli striker’s 26th international strike and seventh in World Cup qualifying, putting him behind only Obafemi Martins in Nigeria’s all-time qualifying scorers list.
With Rwanda being held by Lesotho, Nigeria briefly climbed to second in the group standings.
However, a lapse in concentration proved costly as Zimbabwe mounted a late push for an equaliser.
Zimbabwe’s late response
The visitors nearly leveled immediately, rattling the crossbar with a powerful strike that had Nwabali beaten.
The warning signs were there, and in the dying minutes, Chirewa capitalised on defensive hesitation, weaving through Nigeria’s backline before slotting past Nwabali to silence the home crowd.
Group C standings and implications
The draw leaves Nigeria in fourth place with seven points, one behind Rwanda and Benin, while South Africa extended their lead at the top to 13 points after a 2-0 win over Benin.
With just four games left in the qualifiers, Nigeria’s path to the 2026 World Cup remains uncertain, and the Super Eagles will need to improve significantly to stay in contention.
