A renowned sports journalist, Dr. Mitchell Obi has urged the Super Eagles not to be crestfallen after their unimpressive 1-1 with the South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on MatchDay 3 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Friday.
On his official Facebook page at the weekend, the Vice Chairman of Mastersports International said the the national team should go for a win in their MatchDay 4 encounter against Benin Republic on Monday in Abidjan, the Ivorien capital.
“Get up Eagles and go to Abidjan to show your discontent with chicken feed. No time to stay crestfallen”, the former President of AIPS Africa admonished the three-time African champions.
The Super Eagles occupy in the fifth spot in six-team Group C of the qualifiers with just three points from the same number of games.
The Crocodiles of Lesotho lead the group with five points ahead of the Amavubi of Rwanda, Benin Republic and South Africa, who have four points each. The Warriors of Zimbabwe are leading the six team group from the rear with two points.
Lesotho and Nigeria are yet to feel the pain of defeat since the journey to Canada, Mexico and United States in 2026 began last year on the continent.
Like many football fans and stakeholders, Obi is surprised that Lesotho are dictating the pace in Group C ahead of heavyweights like Nigeria and South Africa.
“Who could have imagined Lesotho topping our group after three games. African football will always defy logic”, he wondered.
Nigeria’s outing on Monday against Benin Republic will influence the quest to reach the FIFA World Cup finals in 2026 after they were stopped in Abuja by the Black Stars of Ghana from going to the last edition in 2022 in Qatar.
“Effort remains everything. The second half was a quintessential show of renewed hope. Will it be expanded and extended on Monday”, the former editor of Guardian Express noted.
Obi, who covered the last FIFA World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations finals, strongly believed that the trip to Abidjan would not be easy for the bird of prey against the Squirrels of Benin Republic, managed by a former Super Eagles’ coach, Gernot Rohr.
“These boys have a fight on their hands against a Rohr team springing with hope”, the ace broadcaster added.
The presenter of Sports Salsa of Kennis FM that not having the Super Eagles’ matches on live television leaves a sour taste and a feeling of emptiness in the fans across the country.
“Football fully in the air and yet we were all struggling to find where to watch our national team. We can’t expect excellence from our teams and yet the little things that give Nigerians the joy to crave for more excellence are glaringly forgotten, shunned and shamefully neglected. What is football in the air without it on the tube”, he said.
