Our Reporter, Abuja
The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Tuesday put up a dominant display to crush the Squirrels of Benin Republic 4–0 in their Group C World Cup qualifying match, reigniting hopes of securing a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States and Canada.
Playing before a packed crowd at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, in Akwa Ibom State, the Nigerian side came out firing from the start, displaying hunger and precision that had been missing in earlier qualifiers.
Star man Victor Osimhen opened the scoring as early as the 3rd minute with a low shot after a scintillating pass from Fulham winger, Samuel Chukwueze.
The Galatasaray striker doubled the lead in the 37th minute from a wicked cross again from Chukwueze, who had a great game before his substitution at the end of the first half.
The Eagles continued their onslaught after the break, with Osimhen completing his hat-trick and making it 3–0 for the Nigerian side in the 51st minute with another bullet header that cannoned off both posts before resting in the net.
Substitute Frank Onyeka finished off the Beninois side in the 91st minute with a thunderous volley after good work from Moses Simon on the left flank for Nigeria’s fourth goal.
With the victory, Nigeria finished second with 17 points, behind South Africa, who sealed their automatic qualification from Group C with a resounding 3–0 victory against Rwanda, also on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles’ convincing victory against Benin Republic has brightened Nigeria’s chances for the playoff among the four best second-placed teams in the groups, which include Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, and DR Congo.
