Foster Declares: ‘Pressure Is On Them, Not Us’

For Lyle Foster, a win against Nigeria would be the ultimate belated birthday gift. As the talented striker turns his focus from birthday candles to the turf of Free State Stadium, he's adamant that Bafana Bafana are ready for one of their biggest tests yet. 

On Tuesday night, they’ll face their long-time rivals in a high-stakes 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Despite the intensity of the upcoming match, Foster insists the team isn’t feeling the heat.

FOSTER INSISTS BAFANA HAS NO PRESSURE

“I don’t necessarily think there’s pressure on us,” Foster explained. “I think at the moment we are where we are in the group, and that’s a positive. I think pressure is on the guys who are trying to get to us, but that doesn’t mean we should take our foot off the gas.”

Bafana Bafana, spearheaded by Hugo Broos, are coming off a solid 3-0 home win against Lesotho on Friday. Their opponents, the Super Eagles, recently eked out a 1-0 win over Rwanda.

Foster remains focused on the bigger picture. “We should just have the same mentality still and keep steady, keep playing game by game, staying humble and just like I said, taking the game as it comes. I think the pressure is on those who are trying to get to us. We’ve had a good start, but the most important thing is trying to push forward and make sure that we seal it.”

With 16 points from seven matches, Bafana Bafana currently leads Group C. Nigeria is in third place, trailing with 10 points from the same number of games. 

The stage is set for a thrilling encounter where a victory for the home side would cement their position at the top and give Foster a reason to celebrate all over again.