WCQ: Ronwen Williams Makes Bold Prediction on Nigeria vs Benin Clash
Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams has shared his thoughts on the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification race, expressing confidence that group leaders Benin will struggle to secure a win against Nigeria in their final match.
As South Africa prepare to face Rwanda in a must-win clash, Williams and his teammates remain determined to revive their qualification hopes for the global showpiece set to take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Bafana’s goalless draw against Zimbabwe at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday left them trailing Benin, who extended their lead at the top of Group C with a narrow 1-0 victory over Rwanda. Now, South Africa must claim all three points on Tuesday — and hope for a favour from the Super Eagles — to keep their World Cup dream alive.
Williams acknowledged that doubts might creep in after the recent setback but maintained his belief that Bafana Bafana’s qualification hopes are still alive.
“People will have doubts now, but if you look back a month ago, it seemed everything was falling into place for us,” he told the team’s media. “I still feel things are working in our favour — I believe in fairytales. Twelve years ago, we were in Mbombela with our calculators out, and maybe this time, we’ll correct those wrongs.”
The Bafana skipper expressed optimism that Nigeria would halt Benin’s momentum, while emphasising the importance of his team’s own task. “I don’t see Benin getting a result in Nigeria. It’s up to us to do our job as well. We know how important the Rwanda game is — we owe them one after they beat us in the qualifiers.
“There’s a lot of motivation going into this match. The nation shouldn’t lose hope — just keep believing, support the boys, and maybe, just maybe, things will go our way.”
Source: Briefly News
