ODEGBAMI: SUPER EAGLES’ WORLD CUP CHANCES DIFFICULT, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. (PHOTO).

 Odegbami: Super Eagles’ World Cup chances difficult, but not impossible

Legendary former football star, Chief Patrick Olusegun Odegbami (MON), has come out with a down-to-earth verdict that the Super Eagles’ chances of reaching next year’s FIFA World Cup are ‘very slim,’ but he also quickly added ‘not impossible.’

Sports247 reports that ‘Mathematical’ Odegbami’s verdict comes barely a week to the September 6th date for the resumption of Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualification quest, with Rwanda visiting Uyo for the reverse fixture of a tie which they lost 2-0 in the first leg.

On the other hand, the more crucial of the upcoming games will be on September 9th, away to South Africa, who are currently top of the group with 13 points and, though they face a deduction of three points for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho, would still stay top if they defeat Nigeria.

The South Africans snatched an away draw in the first leg, which also gives them a head-to-head advantage over Nigeria, and only outright victory in Bloemfontein will revive the Super Eagles’ chances against Bafana Bafana, whose ‘away’ match versus Lesotho on Friday will also be played in Bloemfontein because the ‘hosts’ do not have a suitable pitch in their landlocked country.

Odegbami took a closer look at the pre-match scenario and declared, “The truth is that our chances are slim. When you look at the results, the matches we have to play and how we have to play them, you will agree it’s difficult.”

Odegbami posited, “The path is already difficult, but, with a little bit of luck, we may be able to do it. Which is what we are hoping for? We are also hoping that our team will come back together at the right time, so that we can win the rest of our games and hope that the others will stumble somewhere.”