ana Edge Closer to World Cup Qualification After Draw with Nigeria
Bafana Bafana held to a 1-1 draw at the Free State Stadium on Tuesday night, a result that keeps South Africa firmly in control of their 2026 World Cup qualifying journey.
South Africa currently tops Group C with 17 points from eight matches. With only two games left, they remain six points ahead of both Nigeria and Rwanda, while Benin is still in contention but chasing from behind.
The home crowd erupted in the 25th minute when veteran Nigerian defender William Troost-Ekong turned the ball into his own net, gifting Bafana the lead. Just before halftime, Nigeria hit back through Calvin Bassey, who rose above the defense to head home the equaliser.
Though a win would have brought South Africa within touching distance of securing qualification outright, the draw was still a valuable result. It not only preserved their cushion over Nigeria but also strengthened their path to the finals, even with the possibility of a points deduction looming from an earlier administrative issue.
With upcoming fixtures against Rwanda and Zimbabwe on home soil, Bafana’s fate is firmly in their own hands. The team now sits on the brink of making history, with South Africans daring to dream of seeing their national side on the world’s biggest stage once again.