Boluwatife Kehinde
Nigeria’s Super Eagles powered into the CAF World Cup playoff final on Thursday night after a resounding 4–1 extra-time victory over Gabon at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat.
The match, which began as a tense and scrappy affair, turned into a masterclass of resilience and firepower, with Victor Osimhen netting twice in extra time to seal an emphatic win and push the Super Eagles to within one game of the intercontinental playoff.
Despite dominating possession in the early stages, the Eagles found it difficult to penetrate Gabon’s organised defence. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 78th minute when Akor Adams pounced on a defensive lapse to fire Nigeria ahead.
However, the celebrations were short-lived as Mario Lemina’s deflected effort in the 89th minute beat Stanley Nwabali, forcing the match into extra time.
Super Eagles’ response was immediate and ruthless. In the 97th minute, Chidera Ejuke restored the lead with a composed finish after a clever link-up play with Wilfred Ndidi. From then on, Osimhen took centre stage.
The Galatasaray forward, who had been tightly marked throughout regulation time, came alive when it mattered most—rifling home from a tight angle in the 102nd minute before calmly slotting in his second eight minutes later to make it 4–1.
Head coach Eric Chelle’s tactical changes proved pivotal, as his substitutions injected renewed pace and precision into Nigeria’s attack while maintaining defensive solidity.
Gabon, overrun by Nigeria’s relentless pressure in extra time, struggled to regain control and was ultimately outclassed by the Eagles’ superior fitness and determination.
With the win, Nigeria advances to the CAF playoff final, where they will face the winner of the match between Cameroon and DR Congo. Victory in that tie would take the Super Eagles to the intercontinental playoff and one step closer to booking their ticket to the FIFA World Cup.
