Victor Osimhen, the Galatasaray forward, delivered a stunning first international hat-trick in two years, propelling Nigeria’s Super Eagles to a commanding 4-0 triumph over Benin in their decisive Group C clash of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, according to Soccernet.ng.
The Godswill Akpabio Stadium played host to Nigeria’s crucial final qualifier against Benin on Tuesday, with the Super Eagles facing a mustbenin-top-5-football-battles/” title=”Nigeria vs …: Relive the 5 Most Intense Showdowns Between the … and the Cheetahs!”>-win scenario to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Before kickoff, Nigeria’s destiny was not entirely in their hands. A victory over Benin was essential, but they also needed South Africa to drop points against Rwanda in Mbombela. Failing that, Nigeria had to secure a win by at least a three-goal margin to maintain a realistic chance of advancing to the playoffs.
Benin started the match with confidence, showing early promise and matching Nigeria’s intensity. However, it was Nigeria who struck first, just three minutes in. Samuel Chukwueze combined expertly with Osimhen, delivering a precise pass into the penalty area. Osimhen made no mistake, powerfully driving the ball into the net from close range to open the scoring.
Despite conceding early, Benin responded by increasing their pressure but struggled to carve out clear-cut chances. Nigeria, meanwhile, maintained control and finally doubled their lead in the 37th minute. Chukwueze, tightly marked near the corner flag, sent a teasing cross to the far post where Osimhen rose above his defender to head home emphatically, extending the lead to 2-0.
Benin began the second half with renewed vigor, creating a notable opportunity for Andreas Hountondji, only to be denied by a sharp save from Stanley Nwabali.
However, Nigeria’s dominance was reaffirmed in the 51st minute when Osimhen completed his hat-trick with a spectacular header. Moses Simon’s cross found Osimhen, who contorted his body mid-air to meet the ball, sending it crashing off the post and into the net, making it 3-0.
This marked Osimhen’s first hat-trick since his memorable performance in Nigeria’s 6-0 rout of Sao Tome and Principe in September 2023.
In an attempt to shift momentum, Benin’s coach Gernot Rohr introduced Junior Olaitan in the 56th minute, injecting some energy into their attack, but the visitors were unable to find the back of the net.
As fatigue set in during the final stages, Nigeria’s coach Eric Chelle made tactical substitutions, bringing on Bruno Onyemaechi and Frank Onyeka for Zaidu Sanusi and Akor Adams, respectively. Tolu Arokodare replaced Osimhen, while Terem Moffi came on for Alex Iwobi.
In stoppage time, Onyeka sealed the emphatic victory by converting a precise pass from Moses Simon with a powerful strike into the bottom-left corner, finalizing the score at 4-0.
Despite the resounding win, Nigeria’s World Cup ambitions were dashed as South Africa secured a 3-0 victory over Rwanda in the other Group C fixture, clinching their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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