It was a night of drama, resilience, and brilliance in Rabat as the Super Eagles soared past the Panthers of Gabon with a commanding 4-1 victory after extra time on Thursday at Stade Mohammed V. Victor Osimhen was the star of the show, scoring twice to guide Nigeria into the next playoff stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The match began with both sides showing defensive discipline, as a tense first half ended goalless. But the deadlock was finally broken shortly after the restart when Akor Adams pounced on a defensive error to give Nigeria the lead. Gabon refused to go down quietly, however, finding an equaliser just four minutes before full-time to push the clash into extra time.
The Super Eagles came alive in the added period. Chidera Ejuke calmly slotted home to restore Nigeria’s advantage before Osimhen took charge, striking twice to seal an emphatic victory and send Nigerian fans into celebration.
This result adds to Nigeria’s growing momentum in the qualifiers. The Super Eagles had earlier secured a place among the top runners-up with a dominant 4-0 win over Benin Republic — a match where Osimhen also bagged a hat-trick.
Now, the road to the 2026 World Cup intensifies. Nigeria will face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday. The winners of that match will then progress to a six-team intercontinental qualifier, which will be held in March and will determine the final two qualifiers for next year’s World Cup.
