NFF disowns controversial statement blaming Ekong, Dessers after South Africa draw

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dissociated itself from a controversial press release that blamed Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and striker Cyriel Dessers for the team’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday.

Nigeria had gone into the encounter at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein needing victory to boost their chances of automatic qualification. However, the stalemate left the Super Eagles six points behind group leaders South Africa, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

Shortly after the match, the NFF Communications Department issued a statement directly faulting Ekong and Dessers for the disappointing result. But NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, clarified on Wednesday that the release did not reflect the Federation’s official position.

Speaking in an interview with African Independent Television (AIT), Sanusi expressed displeasure over the development and assured that the matter would be investigated.

“The Federation is pleased with the players, but not with the result, and we apologise to Nigerians for this disappointing outcome. It was a painful result, but as a believer, I know that whatever comes is from God,” he said.

Sanusi stressed that victory or defeat must be seen as a collective responsibility.

“When we win, it’s collective, and when we lose, no individual should be blamed. The NFF respects all its players,” he added.

He also highlighted Ekong’s importance to Nigerian football, recalling his award as Player of the Tournament at the last Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

“No player deliberately scores an own goal. It was an unfortunate incident. The NFF, the National Sports Commission, and the Federal Government stand firmly behind our players despite the result,” Sanusi said.

He further disclosed that the Federation had begun probing how the press release was issued and promised appropriate action.

The draw leaves Nigeria with just 11 points from eight matches, a result that severely dents their chances of reaching the 2026 World Cup. The Super Eagles are now in danger of missing back-to-back tournaments, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar.