2026 WCQ: Gloom envelope the football family as Super Eagles revert to Super Chicken against Lesotho
Since the referee blew the final whistle in the Super Eagles 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Lesotho which ended 1-1 on Wednesday evening in Uyo, gloom like an overload has enveloped the Nigeria football and sports family in general.
Many are calling for the sack of the team coach Jose Peseiro, others want the team disbanded, while the majority conclude that the Super Eagles are now Super Chicken.
Biodun Alabi a veteran sports journalist based in Abeokuta concludes, ‘‘The evil days are here....there's no postponement.’’
Alabi wrote, “Nigerian football, from the prism of the Super Eagles, has become tragically horrendous.
“No excuse, no matter what happens after now, can be enough to clean the shame of forcing Lesotho, a nation ranked 143 in the world by FIFA, to a one-all draw.
“The signs have been looming in recent years, but today sounded the death knell.
“Lesotho paraded players from their local league (obscure league), with a local manager in charge, but yet made a mess of our expensively packaged team of international stars from some of the leading club sides in Europe, managed by a coach from one the world's best football nations, Portugal.....ah!
“Those who disdain our local league and coaches should please spot the difference now.
“The stark truth is - the NFF has been wasting national resources each time it assembles these players, who are way too average to cope with the demands of playing for our national team.
“And if players and coaches in the local league, also don't inspire the confidence to do the job, it therefore implies that our football, which has been on oxygen support system, can no longer be kept alive.
“The wait is for its burial announcement plan.” Concluded Alabi
“Nigeria's World Cup dream may end up as mere mirage, and these Super Eagles can't win the AFCON. With Jose Peseiro, Super Eagles stand no chance of achieving greatness.” Wrote Muyiwa Akande.
Awoniyi Dairo posits that “The earlier we realise that Nigeria doesn't have a coach the better for us, Peisero is another disappointment patiently waiting.”
Soji Eze Fagbemi a respected journalist and football aficionado wrote, “Egypt scored six goals, conceded none, Mohammed Salah scored four of the goals, Algeria scored three, conceded one, Nigeria conceded first and managed to score one, played 1-1with Lesotho. I just want to know how that goal was conceded. And we can make mouth that we have the best of talents in Africa. My joy in all this is that we have now realized that with a team full of these foreign imports, without a single home based player, we cannot still defeat Lesotho easily at home.
“If we have five home based in that team, the worst we would have still play is a draw if we don't win. There is every possibility we would have won.
“Again, it is good that they have realized that they cannot just easily defeat any team at home, but only go away to fumble. Perhaps, they will henceforth take away games very seriously, since they know they cannot rely heavily on home wins.
“Good that we have South Africa in this group to really challenge them. A big opportunity for South Africa”
A football fan on X Tosin Adeda furiously said, “I don’t remember the last time I watched a Super Eagles game this terrible. Sack this coach now before it’s too late.
“We are a shame to watch Nigeria. Just play the home base let’s see what they are capable of. I don’t need these guys anymore.”
Akeem Busari, a Lagos-based journalist expressed disappointment with the performance of the Eagles, saying that Paseiro has nothing to offer Nigeria.
“I have watched the highlights of the Nigeria vs Lesotho game. Let’s not be deceived by statistics, pedigree, and hypes surrounding our so-called superstars. This team, with Jose Peseiro, can’t take us to the World Cup,” he said.
