Nigeria vs. Zimbabwe: WCQ Match Preview, Odds & Predictions

On Tuesday, Nigeria will host Zimbabwe at Godswill Akpabio Stadium to continue their revival of their 2026 World Cup qualifying ambitions, building on their momentum under Eric Chelle.

Last Friday, the Malian strategist, who was born in Abidjan, led the Super Eagles to a resounding 2-0 triumph against Rwanda in Kigali.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

Chelle had a memorable start as a coach, leading Nigeria to their first victory of the qualifiers after a dismal four-game losing streak and reviving their flagging campaign.

After a shocking 2-1 loss to Benin in June 2024, the three-time AFCON winners' tempers flared since they had managed only three draws in their previous eight matches.

After that defeat, the team's problems and Finidi George's alleged split with the national football federation led to his resignation.

Since Victor Osimhen had already skipped all of the prior qualifiers and publicly voiced his disapproval of what he saw as an unsubstantiated comment from Finidi casting doubt on his dedication, the situation had only become worse.

The African powerhouses are presently in fourth place in Group C, and Osimhen wasted no time getting back on the pitch last Friday, scoring twice to show Nigerians what they'd been missing. They will now want to get another vital success against Zimbabwe.

Nigeria is in a precarious position with six points, two behind second-place Benin Republic and four behind leaders South Africa. They are determined to win Tuesday's match to gain momentum in their quest for a 2026 FIFA World Cup spot.

This will be their fourth World Cup qualifying match, and the Super Eagles have won two of the last three meetings. However, their most recent match resulted in a 1-1 tie in the away game earlier this season.

Marshall Munetsi and Knowledge Musona scored for Zimbabwe last Thursday, helping them rally from a two-goal deficit and earn a 2-2 draw against Benin. They will be riding high into this match.

Despite their resiliency, Michael Nees's side are still in last place in the league. They have yet to secure a victory this season, collecting just three points from three draws.

The Warriors have allowed eight goals, the most in their group, and their offence has been lacklustre, scoring only four goals.

A Nigerian team with one of the most dangerous attacking combos on the continent, Ademola Lookman, and the prolific Osimhen, who won the coveted trophy last year, will test this defence.

Zimbabwe's overall record is disheartening, with no wins, no draws, and three losses in their last five games. They need to end this terrible streak if they want to have a shot at making it to the 2026 World Cup.

Nigeria x Zimbabwe Team News

Chelle is expected to continue his preferred 4-4-2 diamond formation from the Rwanda match. However, there may be some lineup changes on Tuesday. Bright Osayi-Samuel is doubtful due to an injury, so Ola Aina could play right back instead of left, and Bruno Onyemaechi could fill in at left-back.

Midfielder Samuel Chukwueze, who had trouble adjusting to a new role in the previous game, may sit on the bench next to Raphael Onyedika as the team adjusts its strategy.

Osimhen, meanwhile, will look to add to his 25 goals for his national team. This puts him two goals ahead of Segun Odegbami and twelve behind the legendary Rashidi Yekini. It's likely that Alex Iwobi will keep his starting position alongside Lookman, who will operate just behind the strikers.

Zimbabwe will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation that was employed against Benin. If Khama Billiat plays on Tuesday, he is on the cusp of overtaking Adam Ndlovu as the team's all-time leading scorer. After making his 57th appearance in that match, he became the team's joint-third most-capped player.

In this pivotal match, Musona will want to add to his legacy after recently scoring 25 goals for his country. These goals put him in third place all-time in Zimbabwean history, nine goals behind A: Ndlovu and twelve behind record-holder Peter Ndlovu.

Our Predictions

Nigeria to win & Uner 2.5 goals @ 2.75 on Sky247.ng

With Osimhen and Lookman at the helm, Nigeria, who have found fresh life under Chelle, will want to expand on their revival.

The Super Eagles are heavy favourites to win because of their better track record against Zimbabwe in World Cup qualifying.

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