By Ben Efe 14.10.2025
Super Eagles of Nigeria earned themselves a second chance at qualifying for the 2026 World Cup after they blew away Benin Republic Cheetahs with 4-0 win at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Victor Osimhen proved to fans who had urged him to bring his A game to the qualifiers, that he was still his lethal self by scoring a hat-trick, Fred Onyeka added the fourth to seal a famous win for the Super Eagles in a stadium they struggled with their opponents in the earlier games of the qualifiers.
However, it wasn’t eureka, in South Africa Rwanda did not do much to help Nigeria. They were thrashed 3-0 by the Bafana Bafana, a result, which handed the South Africans top spot of the group C pairings with 18 points. Nigeria must find their way in the play-offs to book their ticket next year.
Osimhen opened scoring in the 3rd minute with an assist from Samuel Chukwueze who had freed Osimhen with a long pass from the midfield. He raced towards the goal and tucked in with a low shot.
In the 37th minute, Osimhen unmarked connected well a cross from the far side by Chukwueze and headed in his second of the evening. He steered in the third goal from a freekick delivered by Moses Simon in the 51st minute.
Benin poured out looking for a way out of their problems, but the Super Eagles defence was rock solid with Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey at the centre, while Zeidu Sanusi and Benjamin Fredricks are the flanks. There were no anxious moments for Stanley Nwabali in goal.
Onyeka knocked home the final goal of the match in the in-injury time after Moses Simon laid the golden pass. It was the goal Nigeria needed to book a place in the second-best finishers.
The top four-ranked sides all move into play-off semi-finals, with the two winners facing off in a final to decide Africa’s sole representative in a further inter-confederation play-off stage.
The rankings for those semi-finals will be made off FIFA ranking, with the highest taking on the lowest, and the second highest facing the second lowest.
The inter-confederation play-offs will be conducted in March next year, with six teams from five confederations playing for the final two spots at the World Cup.
Osimhen out paces Cedric Hountondji to slot in the first goal