By Kabiru Abdulrauf
In a thrilling encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday evening, Victor Osimhen delivered a stellar performance, scoring a hat-trick to lead Nigeria to a commanding 4–0 victory over Benin Republic in their final Group C World Cup qualifying match.
Despite the emphatic win, the Super Eagles fell short of securing an automatic ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after South Africa defeated Rwanda 3-0 in Johannesburg to top the group.
The match kicked off amid an electric atmosphere, with thousands of fans rallying behind the home team. Nigeria wasted no time asserting dominance with Osimhen opening the scoring line just three minutes into the game, capitalising on a defensive error to slot the ball past the Beninese goalkeeper.
The Galatasaray striker doubled Nigeria’s advantage in the 37th minute, heading in a well-delivered cross to underline his clinical form. Benin’s Steve Mounié came close to pulling one back before halftime, but Nigeria’s defence held firm to preserve their two-goal lead at the break.
The Super Eagles returned from the interval with renewed energy. Just six minutes into the second half, Osimhen completed his hat-trick in the 51st minute, pouncing on another defensive lapse to send the Uyo crowd into wild celebration.
Nigeria continued to dominate possession and create chances, and in stoppage time, Frank Onyeka put the icing on the cake with a late strike, sealing an emphatic 4-0 victory.
The result sparked jubilation in the stadium, but the joy was short-lived. Moments later, confirmation came that South Africa’s win over Rwanda had secured their automatic qualification, leaving Nigeria second in the group and out of contention for a direct World Cup berth.
Despite the disappointment, Tuesday’s performance, led by Osimhen’s brilliance offered a glimpse of the attacking firepower and resilience the Super Eagles can build on ahead of the playoff rounds.
