We never stopped believing — Ekong
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong says the team’s belief and determination remain unwavering as they prepare to face Lesotho in Friday’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Polokwane, South Africa, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Speaking at the team’s second training session ahead of the encounter at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, Ekong expressed optimism about Nigeria’s chances, insisting that the squad is united and focused on securing victory.
“We are optimistic. We’re always going to fight to the end,” Ekong said.
“We believe, we never stop believing. Two important games now, Friday the first one, and then after this we get back to Nigeria, but all focus now on Lesotho. The boys are in camp, focused and the spirit is high. That’s what I can say.”
The Nigeria captain, who has been one of the team’s most vocal leaders, added that the Super Eagles have long been confident in their ability to qualify, regardless of outside expectations.
“It’s been the same for us all along. We have to win these games. It’s good that everyone else now sees the opportunity, but we saw it before. Like I said, we’re very optimistic and focused on Friday’s game,” he added.
Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle now has 20 players in camp after Zaidu Sanusi and Akor Adams arrived on Wednesday, joining 18 others at The Ranch Hotel in Polokwane. Only USA-based midfielder Alhassan Yusuf is yet to report to camp and is expected to arrive on Thursday.
Chelle has had to make late adjustments to the squad due to injuries. Bright Osayi-Samuel and Cyriel Dessers have been ruled out, while Felix Agu’s injury further reduced the initial 23-man list. Crystal Palace’s Christantus Uche and defender Sanusi were called up as replacements, but Russia-based Olakunle Olusegun is still awaiting his South African entry visa and may miss the tie.
Midfielder Wilfred Ndidi also underlined the importance of staying focused on the immediate challenge, stressing that Lesotho must be approached with full concentration before thinking of their next fixture against Benin Republic.
“You know where we are at the moment, and these two games are very crucial,” he said.
“But first of all, we focus on the Lesotho one, then we look towards the Benin game.
The most important thing right now is the Lesotho game.”
Defender Calvin Bassey echoed similar sentiments, saying that the team’s experience will be key in managing pressure situations.
“We just have to remain calm and do what we have to do. This is not the first time, club or country, that any one of us has been in high-pressure moments. We’ve got an experienced team to handle this situation. It’s just about making sure we do everything right,” Bassey said.
Forward Terem Moffi also expressed strong confidence that Nigeria can get the desired result in Polokwane and boost their qualification chances.
“We’re really confident about qualifying for the World Cup. We have to do our part and wait for the result of the other team. We’re confident things will go our way,” he added.
The Super Eagles will take on Lesotho on Friday at 6pm local time (5pm Nigeria time), with the team targeting maximum points to strengthen their position in the qualification race before returning home to face Benin Republic.
Source: Punch
