3 weeks ago
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Nigeria’s Super Eagles person qualified for the playoff of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers aft a resounding 4-0 triumph implicit Benin astatine the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium successful Uyo, yesterday.
Victor Osimhen was the standout performer, netting a hat-trick, portion Frank Onyeka capped disconnected the scoring with a 4th extremity successful the dying moments of the match.
Eric Chelle’s broadside finished 2nd successful Group C, trailing South Africa, having edged retired the Cheetahs connected extremity difference. This triumph maintains Nigeria’s World Cup ambitions arsenic 1 of the champion fourth-placed teams among the 9 runners-up successful the African Qualifiers.
The Super Eagles volition look Gabon, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso successful the African playoff, scheduled to instrumentality spot successful Morocco from 13th to 16th November 2025, successful their quest for a summons to the North American World Cup.
Entering the match, Nigeria recovered themselves 3 points down radical leaders Benin, some teams having secured victories successful their respective matches connected 10th October.
The hosts made an explosive commencement erstwhile Samuel Chukwueze provided a defence-splitting walk to Osimhen, who calmly slotted the shot location wrong the close station conscionable 3 minutes into the game.
Benin sought to respond, with Steve Mounie forcing a anemic changeable consecutive astatine Stanley Nwabali from adjacent scope successful the 14th infinitesimal aft connecting with a cross.
Opportunities continued to originate astatine some ends, arsenic Osimhen directed a header implicit the crossbar from Chukwueze’s transverse successful the 22nd minute, portion Andreas Hountondji struck the side-netting from an space connected the close pursuing a promising determination down that flank.
The location assemblage erupted again successful the 37th infinitesimal erstwhile Chukwueze and Osimhen combined efficaciously erstwhile more, with Chukwueze delivering a pinpoint transverse that Osimhen headed location astatine the acold post.
The Super Eagles efficaciously sealed the lucifer six minutes into the 2nd half, arsenic Osimhen soared to conscionable a Moses Simon free-kick, guiding it successful disconnected the underside of the barroom with his head.
Simon astir transformed from supplier to scorer successful the 55th minute, forcing Benin’s goalkeeper Dandjinou into a spectacular prevention with a close-range effort.
Osimhen, anxious for a 4th goal, was denied by Dandjinou’s outstretched glove, which kept retired his header successful the 79th minute.
Ultimately, the Galatasaray prima had to settee for a hat-trick aft being substituted for Tolu Arokodare 2 minutes later, receiving well-deserved applause from the supporters arsenic helium near the pitch.
There was inactive clip for substitute Onyeka to marque an impact, arsenic helium drilled a changeable into the bottommost near country of the nett pursuing fantabulous enactment from Simon connected the near to acceptable him up.
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