On a warm Tuesday evening at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, the Nigeria national football team delivered their most complete performance of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers: a ruthless 4–0 demolition of the Benin national football team.
Victor Osimhen stole the show with a hat-trick, and Frank Onyeka added a late fourth to cap a night of dominance.
Yet even amid the celebrations, there was an unmistakable sting: South Africa’s 3–0 win over the Rwanda national football team in Mbombela meant Nigeria finished second in Group C, missing out on automatic qualification by a single point.
The Super Eagles will now take the longer, more dangerous route to the World Cup: the playoffs. But this was a performance that showed renewed bite, belief, and identity under new boss Eric Chelle.
Here are five key takeaways from a defining night in Uyo.
Osimhen’s brilliance vs his missed games
Osimhen was electric; three goals, relentless movement, and the swagger of a man who thrives on the big stage.
He has now scored 29 international goals in 44 games, just eight shy of Rashidi Yekini’s all-time Nigerian record of 37.
But the irony
Continue Reading on Premium Times Nigeria
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.