Nigeria shook off the chaos in their camp to soar past Gabon in extra time and claim a place in the Final of the CAF 2026 FIFA World Cup Playoffs on Sunday.
Victor Osimhen scored twice in extra time to help Nigeria claim what was, in the end, a https://africa.espn.com/football/report/_/gameId/760049comfortable 4-1 win and continue their march for a place at next year’s FIFA World Cup in North America.
After a rash of missed opportunities, especially in the first half by the Super Eagles, Akor Adams took advantage of a defensive gaffe by Aaron Appindangoye to pounce on a weak back pass, round goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba and put Nigeria ahead with under 15 minutes to play.
But, with a minute of regulation time left, the Panthers forced extra time with an unlikely goal, Mario Lemina‘s shot deflecting off Bright Osayi-Samuel and past Stanley Nwabali to breathe unexpected life back into Gabon’s World Cup hopes that looked dead and buried.
Osimhen had a chance to end it again with almost the last kick of the game deep into a 12-minute injury time, but one of the world’s deadliest strikers somehow skewed his shot wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.
But he was not to be kept down for long and in extra time, the forward came through – again – for Nigeria, scoring twice to put the game to bed, after Chidera Ejuke had put Nigeria ahead.
The Super Eagles now march on to the Final where they will play Congo DR, who beat Cameroon 1-0, for a chance to win the African playoffs on Sunday.
Boycott? What Boycott?
Nigeria continue to be mystify and befuddle. One day ago, it looked like they had tossed their World Cup qualifying hopes in the bin, with the chaos in camp from a bonus row with the federation after players boycotted training to press home their demands for payment of allowances.
For many other teams, missing the only one day of full training they had out of three would have sounded the death knell for their hopes. Not Nigeria, who are well used to this sort of off-field drama.
Their first half display was reminiscent of some of the best days of the team. They dominated the Gabonese with controlled possession, more shots on goal, more chances created and really should have been at least two or three goals up by half time but for some inspired goalkeeping by Mbaba.
All of that intensity took its toll in the second half, however, as the Super Eagles, looking jaded, were completely outplayed by Gabon. At least, until Akor’s goal. They gave the ball away, barely strung three passes together and allowed the Panthers to run them ragged.
Even after the goal, they continued to look disjointed and Lemina’s goal was the result. Substitute Chidera Ejuke failed to track the forward, and with all that space, Lemina had all the time in the world to take his shot and the off balance Osayi-Samuel could only deflect it in.
But the Nigerians shook it off in extra time, looking like they got a second wind. Ejuke made amends for his atrocious performance, driving home Wilfred Ndidi‘s through ball to put Nigeria’s noses in front and herald the Osimhen show.
For three of four quarters of football, Nigeria looked nothing like a side that was in chaos barely 48 hours earlier. And not for the first time. Perhaps they need more of that ahead of Sunday’s Final.
Osimhen remains the man to beat
Nigeria can continue to thank their lucky stars for Galatasaray‘s Osimhen, not just for the quality of finishing he brings to goalscoring (we are conveniently ignoring that horrendous miss deep into injury time), but also for the hustle, determination and drive he brings to the Super Eagles.
The former African Player of the Year is so influential that the Eagles are almost always guaranteed a result with him in the team.
Of the 14 World Cup qualifying games he has been involved in for Nigeria, the team have lost a grand total of just one, and that was way back in 2021 during the qualifying series for the 2022 World Cup against the Central African Republic.
Not only have they won nine of those games, they have never lost a game in which Osimhen has scored in World Cup qualifying. Those games have either ended in a win, six in total, or a draw, just two of those.
Adding Africa Nations Cup games, including qualifiers, out of a total of 22 games with Osimhen, the Super Eagles have won 15, lost three and drawn four. And when Osimhen has scored or assisted, they have not lost a single game, winning 13 and drawing three.
Thursday’s goals puts Osimhen just seven behind tying the legendary Rashidi Yekini for Nigeria’s goalscoring record and eight away from outright overtaking the legend. It is a remarkable accomplishment for the 26-year-old.
If Nigeria are to make it to the Intercontinental playoffs, they will need Osimhen to either score or get assist. On his current form, it is hard to bet against him.
Defenders showed their skills
At the last AFCON, Nigeria rode to the final on the back of solid defence anchored by William Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey and they were expected to build on that going into the resumption of World Cup qualifying play.
That never happened. Instead, the Super Eagles leaked goals at will, conceding in all but three of their 10 games.
They let one in again against Gabon, but it was their ability to shut down the Gabonese threat from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lemina that provided the foundation for their win.
Bassey and youngster Benjamin Frederick have developed a partnership that looks almost impregnable, with grit and speed. The young defender was particularly impressive, manning up to Aubameyang and fearlessly keeping him at bay with nothing to feed on but scraps.
The return of Zaidu Sanusi at left back has also been an immense boon to Nigeria. His strong, unyielding defense, and willingness to bomb forward on offense has been sorely missed by the Super Eagles.
And then there was Wilfred Ndidi, whose recent performances have been, well, tepid. And that is putting it nicely. On the night however, the former Leicester man rolled back the years despite getting an early yellow card.
His play was disciplined, composed and simple. He made good reads, closed out passing lanes, made himself available as an outlet and was always the extra man wherever he was needed.
They did have a bit of a scare, though, when with the game still scoreless, VAR requested a referee review of Osayi-Samuel’s shirt pull, but the referee, South African Tom Abongile, determined, to the collective relief of hundreds of millions of Nigerians, and the chagrin of tens of millions of Gabonese, that it was not worthy of a penalty.
Beyond that, Gabon barely got a sniff of goal, and the fact that their goal came through an error from Ejuke, who failed to track Lemina, speaks to how good the Nigeria defense was.
They will need all of that and more against the trickery of the DRC on Sunday.