Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes took another hit on Tuesday after Zimbabwe held them to a frustrating 1-1 draw in a 2026 qualifier.
Victor Osimhen’s 74th-minute goal had given the Super Eagles the lead, but Zimbabwe struck back in the 90th minute to deny them victory.
The result comes after Nigeria’s 0-2 win over Rwanda on Friday, which had reignited their hopes of a strong comeback in the qualifiers. However, with just one win in their first four matches, the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains uncertain for the Super Eagles.
Iran book place at 2026 World Cup
Meanwhile, Iran became the second Asian team to book their place at the 2026 World Cup after a 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan in Tehran. Ranked second in Asia by FIFA, Iran needed only a point to secure qualification and did so in dramatic fashion, with Mehdi Taremi scoring twice – including a late equalizer in the 83rd minute.
Uzbekistan, seeking a historic first-ever World Cup appearance, had taken the lead through Khojimat Erkinov in the 16th minute. Though Iran equalized shortly after halftime, Uzbekistan went ahead again before Taremi’s second goal secured Iran’s ticket to the global tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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