“Responsibility Taken”: Captain Ekong Breaks Silence After Super Eagles Drew Zimbabwe in Uyo

“Responsibility Taken”: Captain Ekong Breaks Silence After Super Eagles Drew Zimbabwe in Uyo

  • The Super Eagles' chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup took a massive blow after the draw against Zimbabwe
  • Tawanda Chirewa’s 90-minute goal cancelled out Victor Osimhen's header as Nigeria fell short at home in Uyo
  • Captain William Troost-Ekong has broken his silence after the criticism of the team since the match ended yesterday

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has broken his silence after the Nigerian national team played a disappointing 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in Uyo.

Nigeria's chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took a massive blow after failing to beat the Zimbabweans at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

Super Eagles, Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Zimbabwe.
Super Eagles players before kickoff of the 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe. Photo from @WTroostEkong.
Source: Twitter

Victor Osimhen broke the deadlock in the 74th minute with a header after evading the Zimbabwean defence, sending the loud fans into even more frenzy under the lights.

However, he exited the match due to cramps and Nigeria’s lead was wiped off after a mixup in defence allowed Tawanda Chirewa to slot home past Stanley Nwabali.

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The result means that Nigeria's hopes of playing in the World Cup in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico moved towards impossibility.

Nigeria remained in fourth place with seven points after six games, one point behind Benin Republic and Rwanda, who are second and third and have eight points each.

Super Eagles, Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, Rwanda, Nigeria.
Super Eagles defeated Rwanda in Kigali before drawing Zimbabwe in Uyo. Photo from @NGSuperEagles.
Source: Twitter

South Africa lead the group with 13 points and inch closer to qualification, six ahead of Nigeria. Lesotho on five points, Zimbabwe on four are fifth and sixth in the group.

Ekong breaks silence after draw

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has broken his silence after the disappointment of yesterday's result, which dented his hopes of one more World Cup with Nigeria.

Ekong, who had a hand in the goal conceded after a moment of lack of concentration, failed to turn up for the post-match conference for which a reason has not been given.

Nigerian football fans have not taken it easy on him for the costly moment, with many calling for him to leave the national team as age is catching up on him.

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Ekong has taken to his X page to admit responsibility nearly 24 hours after the match ended.

“Responsibility taken. Same target ahead. We will do it together! 🇳🇬,” he wrote.

There were mixed reactions in the comments section, but many still applauded the captain for his leadership.

@OladayoMARTINS replied:

“Leadership no pass like this. Admit the fault as learnings for next time. It's now time to focus now. The goal is still achievable. 💯💪🏾”

@AwajionyiAB replied:

“Admitting faults and mistakes is one thing while refusing to learn from the mistakes is another thing. Well done captain but I think we are not ready to learn.”

Ndidi limits comments section

Legit.ng reported that Wilfred Ndidi limited comments on his Instagram page after sharing a post about the disappointing match, which Nigerians are still boiling about.

The Leicester City midfielder played well against Zimbabwe, but he protected himself from possible abuse from Nigerian football fans by restricting comments.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Elijah Odetokun avatar

Elijah Odetokun (Sports Editor) Elijah Odetokun is a Nigerian sports editor at Legit.ng. He has four years of working experience and holds a Bachelor of Agriculture from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and a Diploma in Freelance and Sports Writing from the London School of Journalism. Email: elijah.odetokun@sportsbrief.com