Nigeria kept their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive with a dramatic 4-1 victory over Gabon after extra time at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Morocco.
The Super Eagles were forced to work hard for the result after the match remained goalless for most of regulation time. Akor Adams eventually broke the deadlock in the 78th minute, putting Nigeria ahead and seemingly sending his team toward the next stage.
Gabon, however, responded just before the final whistle. Mario Lemina scored a late equalizer to take the decisive playoff match into extra time.
Osimhen Leads Nigeria’s Extra-Time Charge
Nigeria took complete control once extra time began. Chidera Ejuke restored the Super Eagles’ lead before Victor Osimhen scored twice to seal an emphatic 4-1 victory.
The Napoli striker’s brace underlined his importance to the Nigerian national team and ended Gabon’s hopes of progressing. Despite having Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in their squad, the Panthers were unable to contain Nigeria’s attacking strength during the additional 30 minutes.
Super Eagles Move Closer to the 2026 World Cup
The victory secured Nigeria’s place in the final of the African playoff tournament. The winner of that stage would advance to FIFA’s intercontinental playoffs, where six national teams compete for the remaining World Cup places.
Nigeria endured a difficult qualifying campaign, recording four wins, five draws and one defeat across ten group-stage matches. Coaching changes and inconsistent performances prevented the Super Eagles from securing direct qualification.
Despite those setbacks, Nigeria remained in contention thanks to the African qualification criteria applied following Eritrea’s withdrawal from the competition.
With Osimhen leading an attack that also features players such as Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze, the Super Eagles continued their fight to avoid missing a second consecutive World Cup.
Nigeria previously failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar and entered the playoffs determined to return to football’s biggest international stage.