Sosah’s Strike Sends Niger Through as Zambia’s World Cup Hopes Fade Amid Home Heartbreak

NDOLA, Zambia — In the thick, electric air of the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, the dreams of a nation met a resolute roadblock and the rising ambitions of another surged skyward. Niger’s Daniel Sosah delivered the decisive blow—a 56th-minute finish that sealed a 1-0 victory over Zambia, a result that eliminated the Copper Bullets from World Cup contention while propelling Niger closer to history.

From the opening whistle, the stakes were palpable. Zambia, trailing Niger by three points in Group E and knowing only victory could keep their qualification hopes alive, charged forward with urgency but rarely with composure. Avram Grant’s side, so often vibrant at home, found their attacks stifled by Niger’s disciplined back line and the poise of Youssouf Oumarou in midfield. The hosts, cheered on by almost 50,000 hopefuls, pressed high and often, but too many forays broke down at the final pass.

The match’s defining sequence arrived just after halftime. Niger, emboldened by their recent run of form and needing only a draw to advance, seized their moment against the run of play. In a swift counter, Oumarou, a beacon of composure all night, intercepted a loose Zambian ball deep in midfield. His measured through ball split the defense, finding Sosah in stride. The striker, scorer of a brace days ago against Congo, let the ball run before smashing a low shot beyond Zambia’s Toaster Nsabata.

As Sosah wheeled away to celebrate with traveling supporters, the realization set in: Niger, a side ranked 117th in the world before the campaign began, now stood on the cusp of the next round, boasting five wins from eight games and 15 points—good for second in the group behind juggernauts Morocco, and enough to secure passage to the CAF playoffs.

For Zambia, the goal unleashed a frantic, increasingly desperate response. Enoch Mwepu and Fashion Sakala—heroes in last week’s spirited win over Tanzania—pushed for an equalizer, but found little rhythm against Niger’s compact shape. The introduction of Clatous Chama in the 65th minute offered fresh legs but not the creative spark Grant sought.

Zambia fashioned their best chance in the 78th minute when Patson Daka broke free behind the defense but, under pressure from Niger’s Koffi Dan Kowa, fired over the bar. Six minutes of stoppage time at the end of a bruising contest provided one final surge, but the stadium’s crescendo of noise was met with calm Niger clearances, and the visitors ran out deserving winners.

The defeat punctuates a difficult qualifying run for Zambia: three wins, no draws, and five losses in eight matches—just nine points, and a fourth-place finish in the group. Their campaign was undone by home inconsistency and a stifling loss of form since September, including back-to-back defeats to Morocco and, now, Niger. For a side ranked 85th and carrying the hopes of a football-mad nation, the reality will sting.

Niger, meanwhile, have written a new chapter in their history. Recovering from an early 5-0 drubbing by Morocco, they have won three consecutive qualifiers, their defense growing more assured with every week and Sosah emerging as a talisman at just the right moment. With 15 points, they finish second in Group E, behind only the flawless Moroccans, and are now set to enter the next round with momentum and belief.

Head-to-head, the margins have always been slim. The last four meetings between Zambia and Niger yielded just one win apiece and two draws, but Niger have now taken both fixtures in this qualifying campaign—an emphatic statement of their upward trajectory.

No red cards marred the contest, and the game was played at a feverish but controlled tempo. Niger’s discipline was exemplary, absorbing pressure with maturity and punishing Zambia’s rare lapses with clinical precision.

As the stadium emptied under gathering Ndola clouds, two stories diverged. Zambia, who once dreamed of a return to the grandest stage, now turn toward rebuilding and reflection, their campaign marked by near misses and a sense of opportunity lost. Niger, meanwhile, march on with a nation’s hopes on their shoulders, emboldened by a result that confirms their transformation from perennial outsiders to legitimate World Cup dreamers.

The road ahead will demand even greater feats. With the playoffs beckoning, Niger’s margin for error vanishes, but so too does their sense of limitation. For Zambia, the task is to regroup, to harness the disappointment, and to ensure their next campaign is defined not by heartbreak but by resurgence.