Zimbabwe’s Tawanda Chirewa delivered a devastating blow to Nigeria’s World Cup qualification dreams with a last-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
Victor Osimhen had put Nigeria ahead in the 74th minute, reviving hopes after their recent 2-0 win over Rwanda.
However, Chirewa, a 21-year-old substitute, found the net in the 90th minute, leaving the Super Eagles with just seven points in Group C.
South Africa strengthened its lead in the group with a 2-0 victory over Benin in Abidjan, reaching 13 points.
Rwanda and Benin trail with eight points each, while Nigeria sits fourth.
Only the group winners secure automatic qualification, with the four best runners-up entering a FIFA playoff for a final tournament spot.
Elsewhere, Egypt maintained its unbeaten record as Zizo’s goal sealed a 1-0 win over Sierra Leone, keeping them five points ahead of Burkina Faso in Group A.
Ghana surged to the top of Group I with an 8-0 aggregate over Chad and Madagascar, rebounding from their Africa Cup of Nations disappointment.
Ivory Coast held onto its Group F lead after Sébastien Haller’s early goal secured a 1-0 victory over Gambia.
The reigning Africa Cup champions stayed a point ahead of Gabon, who edged Kenya 2-1 thanks to a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brace.
Cape Verde remained top of Group D following a 2-1 win over Angola, despite Cameroon’s 3-1 triumph over Libya keeping the pressure on.
Other late matches featured Morocco, Algeria, and Senegal in their ongoing qualifiers.
As Africa’s qualification race intensifies, Nigeria faces an uphill battle to reclaim its World Cup ambitions.
