Former Golden Eaglets coach Nduka Ugbade believes Nigeria have surrendered the initiative to South Africa in the race to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nigeria and South Africa were the bookmaker’s favourite to slug it out for the automatic qualification ticket to the Mundial when the draws were conducted last year.

However, while the Bafana Bafana have met expectations, Nigeria have wobbled out of the starting block and look out of the race with only four games played.

South Africa boast seven points from their first four matches and share the top spot with Rwanda and the Benin Republic.

Lesotho occupy fourth place with five points to push Nigeria, with three points, down to fifth spot.

The Super Eagles still need to face South Africa (away), Benin (home), Lesotho (away), Zimbabwe (home), and Rwanda (twice, home and away) and could boost their qualification chances by winning all these games.

However, Nigeria could win all and still not qualify if South Africa refuse to drop any points, a situation that makes Ugbade’s hope of seeing Nigeria at the World Cup wither.

The former Nigeria international defender expresses his desire to see the Super Eagles give it their best shot regardless of the present messy circumstances.

However, Ugbade does not fail to realise that South Africa have the advantage over the remaining six games.

“The chances for our qualification for the 2026 World Cup are very slim,” Ugbade told Brila. “But in every difficulty, Nigeria always finds a way to do something.

“The only chance we have is to win all our matches, both home and away; against Lesotho, Rwanda, and especially South Africa.

“We have to beat them in South Africa. With a reasonable mind, I know all things are possible, but the truth is, I don’t think South Africa will want to leave their position to Nigeria.

“I’m a Nigerian and I want us to qualify for the World Cup. Everything we can do to qualify I hope we do it to qualify, but, the truth is I don’t think South Africa will lose two or 3 matches.”

Nigeria have failed to qualify for two (2022 and 2006) of the last eight editions of the World Cup.

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