Nigeria technical director issues mandate ahead of Bafana clash

Nigeria’s National Team Technical director, Augustine Eguavoen, has set a clear mandate for his side ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bafana Bafana: “We have no choice but to win,” he declared.

Speaking to journalists after the Super Eagles landed at Bram Fischer International Airport in Bloemfontein on Sunday, Eguavoen described the Tuesday evening clash as “massive” and emphasized that his team’s sole focus is on securing three points.

Nigeria, currently in third place, is desperate to close the six-point gap on Group C leaders Bafana Bafana.

“We respect South Africa, but we are gunning for three points, simple as that,” Eguavoen stated.

Nigeria enters the match with some momentum, having secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Rwanda on Saturday. Eguavoen sees the win as a key motivator for the squad.

“It was a hard-earned victory [against Rwanda]. We fought for it, and at the end of the day, we got it. So we have to consolidate, and I came here to get three points; it’s as simple as that,” he added.

Despite the high stakes, Eguavoen acknowledged the quality of their opponents and the weight of the match. “We have played a couple of times. It can go either way, but this is a different game,” he said. “It’s a World Cup qualifier, so the weight behind it is massive. We all know what we want. South Africa has gone for it, a respected and good team.”

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