Super Eagles’ number-one goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, is confident Nigeria will overcome South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Tuesday night’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Bloemfontein.
Nigeria head into the clash on the back of a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rwanda, while South Africa dismantled Lesotho 3-0 in the same city on Friday. The high-stakes encounter at the Toyota Stadium is expected to be fiery, with both sides battling not just for points but also for pride in a rivalry that has grown intense over the years.
Beyond the fierce competition, Tuesday’s fixture will test the ambitions of both nations: which team hungers more for a World Cup ticket, which squad has the stronger generation of players, and which side proves more resilient under pressure, knowing second place offers no comfort in this race.
Speaking ahead of the match, Nwabali expressed belief in Nigeria’s quality.
“I feel like we have a very strong squad to match any country. I don’t see them beating us. We respect them, but they are not favourites. They are doing well, even topping the group, but I believe it will be a tough game tomorrow, and we will come out stronger,” he said.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to hold their official training session at the Toyota Stadium on Monday evening (6pm local time, 5pm Nigeria time).
