Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has hailed his teammates’ fighting spirit following Nigeria’s 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Friday night’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

The defender led by example, opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the 55th minute before substitute Jerome Adams Akor doubled Nigeria’s advantage ten minutes from time. Lesotho managed a late response, but the Super Eagles held firm to claim a vital win.

Speaking after the match, Troost-Ekong commended the Crocodiles for their spirited display.

“I want to start by saying Lesotho played a great game. It was not easy to come here and win. I can understand their disappointment because they put up a good fight,” he told reporters.

The captain admitted that pressure has been mounting on the team since the qualifiers began, emphasising how much the result meant to the squad.

“The game was not easy. I think the coach can explain it better, the pressure has been on us since March, maybe since the start of the qualifiers.”

Next up for the Super Eagles is a decisive showdown against the Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Tuesday, a fixture Troost-Ekong described as “a final.”

“We just have to focus on ourselves. We have a team of guys who want to do better. We have a winning mentality, and we want to be at the World Cup,” he said.

The defender added that the team remains determined to finish strong after a difficult qualifying campaign.

“The past nine months have not been easy. Now we have the opportunity with the game in Uyo against the Benin Republic. We know we have to score goals and win convincingly. It’s going to be a big test again, and we will be ready. This is the final for us, and we’ll work very hard to get there. Like the coach said, I’m proud of the team, and we’ll keep believing until the end.”