Under the rainy skies of Rabat, the newly renovated Moulay Hassan Stadium hosted a tense African World Cup playoff match and Nigeria defeated Gabon 4-1 after extra time to advance to the final of the mini-tournament.
The first half ended goalless, but it was Nigeria who dictated the tempo from the start. The Super Eagles pressed high and maintained control, registering nine shots with four on target, yet were unable to break down the Gabonese defense that stood firm.
The breakthrough finally came in the 78th minute after a costly defensive lapse from Gabon. Akor Adams pounced on a misplaced pass, rounded the goalkeeper, and calmly slotted home to give Nigeria a deserved lead. However, just when it seemed that José Peseiro’s men would see out the victory, Mario Lemina produced a moment of brilliance in the final seconds of stoppage time, curling in an equalizer from a tight angle to send the Gabon supporters into celebration and push the match into extra time.
Osimhen seals it in extra time
The added 30 minutes brought out a determined Nigeria. Chidera Ejuke restored the lead in the 97th minute after combining well with Wilfred Ndidi, slotting past the Gabon keeper to make it 2-1. From there, Victor Osimhen took over, scoring twice in quick succession in the 103rd and 110th minutes to seal a dominant 4-1 win. The Galatasaray striker’s brace secured Nigeria’s place in the final and also marked the team’s biggest victories over Gabon.
The result sends Nigeria through to the final of the CAF mini-tournament, where they will face the winner of DR Congo vs Cameroon on November 16. The victor of that clash will advance to the intercontinental playoff in March for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The win also came amid off-field tension, as the Nigerian squad had only recently resolved a bonus dispute before the match. Team captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed the issue was settled and emphasized the players’ unity and focus heading into the playoff.
