Super Eagles powered to a dominant 4-1 victory over Gabon in Thursday’s 2026 World Cup playoff semi-final.
Nigeria secured a spot in the mini-tournament as one of the top runners-up, finishing just behind South Africa, who claimed the automatic qualification from Group C under Eric Chelle’s leadership.
The Eagles controlled the early stages against the Panthers but couldn’t convert their dominance into a goal. They also escaped a penalty when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s shirt pull was reviewed on VAR, yet the referee chose not to award it.
Adams Akor broke the deadlock for Nigeria by pouncing on a loose ball and scoring into an empty net. Gabon responded 10 minutes later, as Mario Lemina’s deflected shot beat Stanley Nwabali. Early in extra time, Chidera Ejuke converted Wilfred Ndidi’s pass to restore Nigeria’s lead, before Victor Osimhen added a brace to seal the victory.
Nigeria will next take on either DR Congo or Cameroon for a chance to secure Africa’s spot in the March 2026 intercontinental playoffs.