Rise of a Football God

On the 5th of October, Sam arrived in Lesotho alongside his teammates and their coach.

Staying disciplined, none of the players went outing as they stayed indoors in their hotel, meditating and placing themselves in the right state of mind in preparation for the decisive game against Lesotho.

It was a must-win game.

Lose and Nigeria would miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

That was not a reality that any of them was willing to bear witness to, and so, they were going to do their all to make the opposite a reality.

They must win the game!

By all means.

…

6th October, 2025…

Time was a mirage; in no time, D-day was here.

(World Cup Qualifiers- Group Stage:)

(Matchday 9 of 10:)

(Lesotho – Nigeria)

(Date: 6th October, 2025)

The game was to be played at the Setsoto Stadium, a multipurpose stadium in Maseru, Lesotho that is currently the home ground of the Lesotho national football team. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

The evening at Setsoto Stadium in Lesotho was electric, charged with anticipation and the high stakes of a must-win World Cup qualifier for Nigeria.

For Lesotho, they were nowhere close to making it to the World Cup but still, it was a World Cup qualifier and they wanted to win.

But to the Nigerians, it was go hard or go home.

Win and keep the qualification hopes alive, lose and lose it all.

The stadium, nestled in the heart of Maseru was a cauldron of sound and color with fans draped in the blue of Likuena and the green of the Super Eagles, their voices merging into a chaotic symphony of chants, vuvezelas, and drumbeats.

Above, the African night sky stretched wide, a deep indigo canvas speckled with stars as the floodlights bathed the pitch in harsh white brilliance.

The crisp mountain air carried the scent of wet grass and dust, tinged with the faint aroma of grilled meat from vendors outside the stadium.

The altitude, over 1,500 meters above sea level added a thinness to the air, a factor that could test even the fittest athletes.

Standing on the pitch alongside his teammates on the pitch, Sam frowned, already telling that this was going to be an incredibly grueling affair.

On the field, Nigeria's players stood in a tight huddle, their faces set with the grim determination of a team that had no room for failure.

The Super Eagles had traveled south knowing that anything less than victory would be disastrous for their World Cup hopes.

Lesotho, underdog yet fearless on home soil, fed off the deafening roars of their supporters, their players moving with confidence, eager to defy the odds.

Both teams started with their best lineup.

For Nigeria, with the introduction of Sam in the lineup, Eric Chelle tweaked his team from a 3-4-3 formation to a 4-2-3-1 formation like the one employed in FC Barcelona to accommodate him in his favored attacking midfield position.

In between the posts for the Super Eagles stood the imposing figure of Stanley Nwabalai, the Nigerian-born goalkeeper. While ahead of him stood a quadruple defensive set-up comprising Samuel Ajayi, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and the electric Ola Aina.

Ahead of them in midfield was the duo of Frank Onyeka and Alex Iwobi, then further ahead was the power-offence quadruple.

Victor Osimhen led the attack as the striker.

To his right and left flanks respectively were Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman, the Brest and Atalanta wingers while behind him was the core of the new Nigerian team, Samuel Moses, the young FC Barcelona star.@@novelbin@@

It was a formidable lineup up against those of Lesotho.

For Lesotho who lined up in a typical 4-3-3 formation, Moerane started in between the posts as the goalkeeper while ahead of him was the quadruple of Malane, Makhele, Mokokoane, and Matlabe in defense.

Ahead of the defense was the midfield trio of Lebokollane, Fothoane, and Toloane, and the attacking trio was formed by Mokhachane in right wing, Khutlang in left wing, and Makateng as the starting striker.

Compared to the Nigerian team, this was an inferior side but in international football, mostly African football, quality alone didn't cut it at times.

Besides, this was Lesotho's home grown.

The Likuena were hell-bent on making things tough for the Super Eagles.

And then…

FWEEEE!

The referee's whistle sliced through the noise and in that instant, Setsoto Stadium came alive, becoming an arena of fate.

Every touch of the ball, every tackle, every surge forward carried the weight of Nigerian expectations and Lesotho's defiance.

The match had begun, and the night in Maseru was set to be unforgettable.

In the 13th minute of this game…

POW!

Sam unleashed his first long-range piledriver after an absolutely dominating performance so far as he stung the palms of the Lesotho goalkeeper.

This was a game where he dominated.

Starting his career from the streets of Abraka to the Enyimba International Stadium, Sam was used to the physical nature of African football.

This was why unlike other overseas superstars who came to play for their home country, he was not overwhelmed by the physicality of the Lesotho players who clearly targeted him, rather he thrived.

Sam was used to being the core of a Fulham team for 1 and half seasons in the English premier league, now he brought the same vibes to his national team.

As the core of the Nigerian national team, Sam thrived.

Everything went through him and he was not overwhelmed by it.

Every touch of the ball, every dribble, every single body feint, every tackle, and every shove, Sam was playing at an elite level this game as he led by example.

His elite level in this game buoyed on his teammates and with time, they aligned with him, playing an amazing game in the Setsoto Stadium.

Nigeria dominated against their opponents.

But despite their dominance, a common theme that was prevalent in Nigerian squads of recent years reared its head again, the lack of goalscoring.

They dominated, they had more of the ball, dribbled and dazzled, but they struggled to score against a stalwart Lesotho defense.

The first half game to an end with a goalless draw.