Bafana striker Foster says pressure is on Nigeria

Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster will be hoping to celebrate his recent birthday with a crucial victory when the team hosts Nigeria in a highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Free State Stadium on Tuesday night.

Despite the high stakes, Foster insists that the pressure is on their opponents, not on Bafana Bafana, who are currently sitting comfortably at the top of Group C.

“I don’t necessarily think there’s pressure on us. I think at the moment we are where we are in the group and that’s a positive,” Foster said. “I think the pressure is on the guys who are trying to get to us, but that doesn’t mean we should take our foot off the gas.”

The Bafana squad, led by coach Hugo Broos, enters the match with momentum after a convincing 3-0 victory over Lesotho on Friday. Their opponents, the Super Eagles, secured a 1-0 win against Rwanda on Saturday.

Foster, who plays for Burnley FC in the English Premier League, believes the team’s focus should be on maintaining their winning mentality. “We should just have the same mentality still and keep steady, keep playing game by game, staying humble, and just like I said, taking the game as it comes,” he added.

Bafana Bafana lead Group C with 16 points after seven matches, while Nigeria sits in third place with 10 points.

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