Chidera Ejuke and Victor Osimhen’s extra-time brace powered Super Eagles to a commanding 4-1 victory over Gabon on Wednesday, booking their spot in the African playoffs final for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and keeping alive their quest for a seventh appearance at the global showpiece.
Sevilla forward Akor Adams gave the Super Eagles the lead in the 78th minute off a defensive lapse.
Gabon’s Mario Lemina levelled in the 89th to force extra time, only for Sevilla’s Chidera Ejuke to restore Nigeria’s lead in the 97th. Osimhen, the Galatasaray striker, then dazzled with goals in the 102nd and 110th minutes, sealing the rout and lifting his international tally to 31.
Nigeria will face either Cameroon or DR Congo in Africa’s play-off final on Sunday (19:00 GMT).
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.
No immediate post-match quotes emerged from the camps, but the result underscores the Super Eagles’ resilience under interim coach Augustine Eguavoen, who steadied the ship after a rocky qualifying group stage.
Gabon, led by veterans like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, now shifts focus to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, their World Cup dreams dashed in the Moroccan heat.
