Madness! Onyeka and Osimhen put Nigeria on the doorstep of WC!

Burkina Faso must hate Nigeria more than ever! Everything looked like Nigeria would have to rely on DR Congo, with their World Cup playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Both teams were equal on points and goal difference, leaving only goals scored to decide. That fourth goal made all the difference for Nigeria — what madness!

Nigeria took control of the match early on and went into halftime with a comfortable 2–0 lead over Benin.

The Super Eagles opened the scoring in the 3rd minute when Victor Osimhen found the back of the net after a mistake by Benin’s defense, finishing off a smart pass from Samuel Chukwueze.

Benin tried to respond in the 13th minute through Steve Mounie, whose shot was easily dealt with by Nigeria’s goalkeeper.

In the 22nd minute, Osimhen was close to doubling the lead with a header that went narrowly wide.

Benin created a pair of good chances around the 29th minute — first Cedric Hountondji was denied by the Nigerian keeper after a fine pass from Tosin, and moments later Tosin himself fired over the bar.

Nigeria’s dominance paid off again in the 37th minute, when Osimhen struck for the second time of the night. The Napoli striker headed in Chukwueze’s precise cross to make it 2–0 and give the Super Eagles firm control before the break.

Just three minutes after the restart, Benin had a promising opportunity when Steve Mounie found himself in a good position inside the box, but he couldn’t make proper contact with the ball, allowing Nigeria to clear the danger.

Only moments later, in the 51st minute, Victor Osimhen completed his hat-trick in spectacular fashion. The Galatasaray forward continued his brilliant form, heading home a precise cross to make it 3–0 and all but seal the win for the Super Eagles.

In the 54th minute, Moses Simon came close to adding a fourth after the ball fell kindly to him in the box following a scramble, but Benin’s goalkeeper reacted well to keep his team from further damage.

Late in the game, in the 78th minute, Osimhen had another chance to score with a powerful header, yet this time the visiting keeper produced a fine save to deny him.

In the 91st minute, Nigeria scored the golden goal. Onyeka brilliantly navigated Benin’s box to net the goal that pushes Nigeria into the World Cup playoffs!

WC QUALIFICATION AFRICA - MATCHDAY 10

Tuesday

Seychelles - Gambia 0-7 (0-2)

/Sidibeh 46, 2, Barrow 52, 47, Manneh 75, 67, 24/

Algeria - Uganda 2-1 (0-1)

/Amoura 81 pen, 90+9 pen - Mukwala 6/

Guinea - Botswana 2-2 (2-2)

/Traore 18, Balde 35 - Boy 7, Mohutsiwa 45+2/

Nigeria - Benin 4-0 (2-0)

/Osimhen 3, 37, 51, Onyeka 90+1/

S. Africa - Rwanda 3-0 (2-0)

/Mbatha 5, Appollis 26, Magkopa 72/

Somalila - Mozambique 0-1 (0-1)

/Catamo 6/

22.00: (1.28) Dr Congo (5.40) Sudan (12.0)

22.00: (1.30) Gabon (5.00) Burundi (12.0)

22.00: (1.13) Ivory Coast (8.00) Kenya (22.0)

22.00: (1.02) Morocco (15.0) Congo (95.0)

22.00: (1.15) Senegal (7.75) Mauritania (19.0)

***odds are subject to change***