Nigeria win helps Bafana, but dangerous Super Eagles can also make ground

‘I said maybe we would have to fight more than to play football and we did both,’ says Broos on Lesotho victory

While Nigeria are sure to make a late charge for World Cup qualification in group C, for now their improved form is helping Bafana Bafana as they aim to realise their dream of reaching next year’s tournament in Mexico, Canada and the US.

The Super Eagles' 2-0 win away to Rwanda on Friday ensured South Africa, who negotiated past tricky Lesotho 2-0 in Polokwane, are now two points clear on top of the group with five qualifiers remaining.

Nigeria are battling to make up the huge amount of ground they lost with their nightmare start to the qualifiers for the first 48-team World Cup under their last two coaches, José Peseiro and Finidi George.

The Super Eagles disastrously drew at home against Lesotho and away against Zimbabwe in their first two games under the Portuguese, then drew again at home to South Africa and lost away against Benin under 1990s playing legend George.

Under new Malian coach Éric Chelle Nigeria finally won their first game against Rwanda thanks to Victor Osimhen's first half goals in Kigali to move from fifth place on three points to fourth on six.

The result, and Benin’s draw in Zimbabwe, meant Bafana, who went into the weekend’s matches level on seven points with Rwanda and Benin, could take the group lead.

The South Africans have no room to get cocksure about their chances yet, or write off Nigeria as a force in group C.

A win for Bafana against Benin at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Tuesday (6pm SA time) would put South Africa in a strong position with four games remaining. A defeat, and victory for Nigeria at home against Zimbabwe, would leave the Super Eagles (who would go to nine points) breathing down South Africa’s necks, just a point adrift.

“I said a few days ago that there was a team in the group that can help us a lot, and this is Nigeria. I saw that they beat Rwanda today [Friday],” Broos said.

“They can't afford to lose any more points. Against every team they'll do everything to win. 

“At the moment we're four points ahead of Nigeria and it's up to us to do what we have to do. When we do what we have to do, Nigeria will help us.

“We'll see, but the situation is good at the moment. It's up to us to keep that situation and certainly already on Tuesday we shouldn't do stupid things there in Ivory Coast.”

Broos was pleased at how his team responded to his instructions in the change rooms on Friday and request for greater urgency after missing chances to go to the break at 0-0 against Lesotho. Quick-fire goals from Relebohile Mofokeng (60th) and Jayden Adams (64th) earned the victory.

“I'm very happy with the performance of my team. I said in the prematch meeting maybe we would have to fight more than to play football and we did both. We played good football, and we had seven or eight good chances to score.

“We were a bit unlucky at certain moments, but we fought, and I think this is something this team can do. With what happened last at Afcon [where Bafana finished third] we learnt a lot and you see it in the games like this.

“We're two points ahead and this is the good situation, and we have to prepare ourselves now for Tuesday. It will be as difficult a game as today — different but as difficult. If we're well prepared and able to produce the same performance, I think we can win the game there too.”