The Super Eagles of Nigeria played out a 1-1 draw against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Coach Finidi George chose Southampton forward Paul Onuachu to lead the attack instead of Victor Boniface of Bayern Leverkusen, with another surprising inclusion being Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in central midfield.
Nigeria aimed to avoid a third consecutive draw in the Group C World Cup qualifiers, but South Africa’s Themba Zwane had other plans, scoring in the 28th minute to give his team an early lead. Hugo Broos’ side displayed disciplined defending, with last-minute stops denying UEFA European League final hero Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Nigeria ended the first half as the stronger side and began the second half with renewed energy, which paid off with a fantastic strike from Dele-Bashiru, who beat Ronwen Williams to equalise.
The introduction of Samuel Chukwueze nearly gave the Super Eagles the lead, but the AC Milan player’s effort was denied by the crossbar, keeping the match level.
Despite a series of attacks, the Bafana Bafana remained resolute, securing the draw. Nigeria remains fifth with three points on the table, one point behind South Africa, who are on four points.
