Nigeria, Sept. 4 -- As the countdown to September's decisive World Cup qualifiers intensifies, the Super Eagles of Nigeria face what could be the defining week of their campaign.

With matches against Rwanda in Uyo and South Africa in Johannesburg, the equation is brutally simple: two wins, or at the very least four points, to keep qualification dreams alive.

The context is sobering. Nigeria sit on 7 points, trailing the leaders in their qualifying group. The team's struggles at home have compounded frustrations; the Eagles have not won on Nigerian soil since October last year, a 1-0 victory over Libya in Uyo, sealed by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru himself. Nearly a year on, the Lazio midfielder finds himself at the heart of another must-win miss...