‘We would have beaten them’ - Chukwueze and Osimhen lament poor stadium against South Africa

Following Nigeria’s disappointing draw against South Africa, Eric Chelle’s team’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup were boosted on Friday. 

Nigeria claimed a narrow 2-1 victory over Lesotho at the Polokwane Stadium, thanks to goals from Troost Ekong and Akor Adams.

The thrilling victory was sweetened by South Africa's goalless draw against Zimbabwe, significantly boosting the Super Eagles' World Cup chances.

Chukwueze expressed his frustration about the previous match's conditions in a conversation with teammate Victor Osimhen. He was confident that the result would have been different on a better pitch.

"Look at this pitch, but they took us to Bloemfontein," Chukwueze remarked. "If we had played South Africa here and didn't score at least three goals, you can call me a bastard."

Osimhen concurred with his teammate, adding, "If we played them here, we would have beaten them."

Nigeria had to settle for a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Bafana Bafana, which was held at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, a venue that drew criticism for its condition.

Reports indicated that the stadium, primarily a rugby ground, was converted for the football match despite other high-quality venues being available in South Africa. 

The subpar condition of the pitch was evident, with Nigerian players visibly struggling to adapt. The poor surface also contributed to Ola Aina suffering a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him sidelined until late November.