WCQ: Osimhen, 3 Other Super Eagles Stars Who Could Cause Problems for Bafana Bafana

WCQ: Osimhen, 3 Other Super Eagles Stars Who Could Cause Problems for Bafana Bafana

  • The Bafana Bafana of South Africa will battle against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the second leg of their World Cup qualifying phase
  • Bafana Bafana would play host to Eric Chelle's men, with the match scheduled to take place at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein
  • A Nigerian sports journalist has named the four Super Eagles stars who could cause problems for Bafana Bafana

South Africa will face the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their second World Cup qualifier during this international break.

Hugo Broos and his 23-man Bafana Bafana squad are already preparing to face Lesotho at the Free State Stadium on Friday, September 6, 2025.

A win against Lesotho would put them in pole position to secure a spot in the global football event scheduled for next year.

The match against the Super Eagles is the most anticipated tie, and most football fans are looking forward to the outcome of the game.

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4 Super Eagles stars who could cause problems for Bafana

Nigerian sports journalist Michael Afolayan shared his thoughts in an exclusive chat with Briefly News about the upcoming encounter between Bafana Bafana and the Super Eagles.

Earlier, the football analyst named South Africa as the favourites to win the tie, offering a detailed explanation of why they were his choice.

However, he also advised that Broos' men should not underestimate what the three-time African champions are capable of, despite their recent poor run in the World Cup qualifiers. He shared his expectations for both teams in the match.

“Like I said earlier, Bafana Bafana remain the favourites to win this tie, but I expect a very tough encounter and a tactical approach from both managers,” he said.
“Eric Chelle’s performance at the CHAN doesn’t play any part in this tie because all players in his squad are foreign-based.

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"Checking Broos’ squad selection, I saw that he has some foreign-based players included, but the larger part of the team is based in South Africa, which is another added advantage for them.”

Afolayan further listed some of the Super Eagles stars who could cause problems for Bafana Bafana when they meet in Bloemfontein next week, on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

“I would say ‘be scared of all of them,’ but on a serious note, some players stand out and should be given detailed attention,” he added.
“The obvious first player is former African Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen. Even aside from scoring goals, he will always cause problems for defenders, so Mbokazi and others should be ready for a feisty encounter.
“Ademola Lookman is expected to be on the wings, and the current African Footballer of the Year is another dangerous player who could win games on his own.

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“In midfield, I don’t know who will be playing defensive midfield for Bafana Bafana, but they need to be wary of the technical ability and defence-splitting pass of Alex Iwobi.
“I think they are familiar with this player already, Stanley Nwabali, who plays his club football in the Premier Soccer League. He’s conversant with most of the South African players.”

Bafana Bafana stars join training camp

Briefly News also reported that the Bafana Bafana players trooped into training in preparation for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria during this international break.

A trending picture of Broos placing his hand on Orlando Pirates star Relebohile Mofokeng during the camp has stolen the spotlight.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Raphael Abiola avatar

Raphael Abiola (Sports editor) Raphael Abiola is a Nigerian Sports Journalist with over seven years of experience. He obtained a B.Tech degree in Computer Science from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in 2015. Raphael previously worked as a football editor at Stakegains (2016-2018) and a content editor with Opera News Nigeria (2018-2023). Raphael then worked as an Editor for the Local Desk at Sports Brief (2023-2024). Reach him via email at raphael.abiola@sportsbrief.com.