Nigeria’s World Cup hopes still alive despite disappointing Zimbabwe draw – Dikko

By Dayo Awoniyi

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, but remains confident that the Super Eagles’ hopes of qualifying are still alive.

Despite dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities, the Super Eagles were unable to secure a win, with Victor Osimhen’s 74th-minute goal being canceled out by Zimbabwe’s Chawanda Chirewa in stoppage time.

“It’s not the result we wanted and desperately craved,” Dikko said. “Football can be brutal, and it’s a rude shock that we dominated play for 90 minutes, created over 42 attacking plays, and had over 10 clear chances to score, but ended up drawing.”

Despite the setback, Dikko praised the team’s commitment and the technical staff’s efforts, highlighting that their performance showed significant improvement.

“The team commitment, technical play, and points garnered are an improvement from where we were coming from. The future looks bright and exciting,” he added.

Dikko reaffirmed that Nigeria is still in contention for a World Cup spot, stressing that winning their remaining four matches would likely guarantee qualification. “Everything is still in play, and the team will remain focused on the mission.”

The National Sports Commission has committed to continued support for the team, including a revised remuneration and bonus structure. Dikko revealed that the team received timely payments after their match against Rwanda and again before the Zimbabwe game.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also shown support by approving the delivery of plots of land and houses in Abuja, promised to the team last year.

Dikko concluded by thanking fans for their unwavering support, adding, “All being equal, the final outcome will surely repay the fans with the desired World Cup ticket.”

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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