CLASSIC PREVIEW: Nigeria vs Zimbabwe

It’s a renaissance charge for Nigeria’s Super Eagles as they take to the pitch on Tuesday to face the Warriors of Zimbabwe in a crunchy 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying game billed for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.

After Friday’s win over Rwanda, perhaps every remaining Nigerian game in this qualifying series remains make or mar if indeed the Eagles will actualise their dream of returning to the Mundial after missing out on the last one in 2022.

Head coach Eric Chelle will lead the Super Eagles for the first time on home turf and the occasion has been made more welcoming by that important result in Kigali four days ago. The Malian will be hoping “his guys” turn up like they did at the za Amahoro against the unassuming but dangerous Zimbabweans.

NEW MANAGER BOUNCE?

This phenomenon hardly ever work for Nigeria’s Super Eagles as many of Nigeria’s failures in qualifying series have come with having new managers in place for crucial qualifying games.

Sunday Oliseh (2015), Samson Siasia (2016) are some of Nigeria’s former head coaches that failed to win their first games in charge being crucial qualifying fixtures but the case is fundamentally different now for Chelle.

With a massive win in his first game in charge and a renewed sense of responsibility in the hearts of the players, it seems as though an Amodu Shaibu-esque qualification miracle is possible with this fiery manager who places high demand on the playing personnel.

The players have responded well to having a new Sheriff in town by fighting their hearts out in training and on the pitch as evident in Kigali. Chelle will hope the vigour continues in front of a highly demanding 30,000 spectators at the Nest of Champions on Tuesday evening.

WE’VE GOT HISTORY

Going into Tuesday’s game, the Warriors of Zimbabwe had never beaten Nigeria in a competitive game. In fact, their only ever win over Nigeria at senior level was the first meeting between both sides, a friendly game in 1981. Not even this writer was born then.

Both countries were in the same group with Rwanda during qualification for the 2006 World Cup which ended in disappointment for Nigeria. That time, the Super Eagles comfortably dispatched the Zimbabweans home and away with an 8-1 aggregate score.

This time though, Zimbabwe will be emboldened by the draw they secured against Nigeria on neutral venue late 2023 and their spirited comeback performance in the 2-2 draw with Benin last Thursday in South Africa.

MATCH DETAILS:

Match: Nigeria vs Zimbabwe
Venue: Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo
Time: 5:00pm West African time (GMT+1)
Referee: Teklu Mogos Tsegay (Eritrea)

WHAT THEY SAY:

Eric Chelle (Nigeria head coach): “We need to be focused on this second game. It is the most important now. I am proud of what my players did in Rwanda. It was very difficult but they did the job.

“We have done our training sessions and we have to face the game because it is not going to be easy as Zimbabwe have a good team with good players and a good coach that has good game project. So we need to be focused and do the job.”

Michael Nees (Rwanda head coach):

Benin was tough for us but with Nigeria, it’s different. They are top class, from the individuals, the names. They messed their campaign up at the start but are now back with a win over Rwanda who are always tough. So they will now come with more confidence and all their power because they want to turn this campaign around but so do we.

It will be an exciting game and we have to perform to our maximum for sure, we can expect a real tough opponents giving everything but we also have to give our everything and we will.

HOW TO WATCH:

Nigeria vs Zimbabwe is available to be seen on multiple platforms. For Cable TV subscribers in Nigeria, the game is LIVE on SuperSport Channel 207 and for online subscribers, AfroSport TV on Facebook and free to air will also broadcast while FIFA Plus App is available for the global audience not limited to Nigeria.