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Striker Akor Adams made his long-awaited debut for the Super Eagles in a 2-1 win over Lesotho in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
The striker’s 80th-minute goal sealed three precious points for Nigeria as the team continues its quest for a place in the expanded 48-team tournament in North America.
The 25-year-old, whose journey from a local academy in Nigeria to La Liga captivated fans, came into the match as a second-half substitute and provided a magical moment that could be a turning point for the Super Eagles.
With Nigeria third in Group C on 11 points going into the match, the victory, coupled with South Africa’s 0–0 draw with Zimbabwe, boosted their qualification hopes, reducing the gap on second-placed Bafana Bafana to just one point.
Under the Polokwane floodlights, the Super Eagles dominated the opening minutes, but struggled to convert their superiority into goals, going into half-time goalless.
The deadlock was broken ten minutes into the second half when captain William Troost-Ekong scored a penalty past Moerane to give Nigeria a 1-0 lead.
With the game still on the line, coach Eric Chelle headed to his bench and introduced Adams in place of Tolu Arokodare in the 62nd minute.
The striker, who has just scored in back-to-back La Liga games, including a 4-1 thrashing of Barcelona, wasted no time making an impact.
In the 80th minute, Victor Osimhen stopped play before slipping a precise pass to Adams.
The debutant then dribbled past a defender with quick footwork before firing a low, accurate shot into the bottom corner, past goalkeeper Sekhoane Moerane.
At 2-0, Nigeria looked set for victory, but Lesotho had other ideas. The locals closed the gap after an error by goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.
The final stages were tense, with another error by Nwabali almost giving Lesotho a tie.
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After the match, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle praised his team and Akor Adams, whose goal made him the latest in a historic line of debut scorers for Nigeria, alongside icons such as Obafemi Martins and Julius Aghahowa.
The victory lifts Nigeria to 14 points in Group C, one behind South Africa and three behind leaders Benin, who they will face in a crucial clash in Uyo on Tuesday.
