A brilliant hat-trick from Victor Osimhen and a late strike from Frank Onyeka ensured that the Super Eagles ended their Group C campaign in style, silencing Gernot Rohr’s Benin side, who had entered the final round of fixtures as group leaders.
Heading into the match, both teams were under immense pressure with the Cheetahs needing an outright win to qualify for their first-ever World Cup, while the three-time African champions required victory and favourable results elsewhere to secure either automatic qualification or one of the best runners-up slots.
From the opening whistle, Nigeria signalled their intent. Their attacking tempo paid off early as Samuel Chukwueze set up Osimhen for the opener in the third minute, sparking wild celebrations among the home fans.
The Galatasaray striker doubled the lead in the 37th minute with a towering header from another Chukwueze delivery, leaving the Beninese defence in disarray.
Benin Republic’s attempts to fight back after the break were swiftly crushed. Six minutes into the second half, Osimhen completed his hat-trick after meeting Moses Simon’s curling free-kick, which ricocheted off the bar before crossing the line.
As the visitors pushed men forward in search of a consolation, Eric Chelle’s men capitalised once again in stoppage time. Substitute Frank Onyeka finished off a low cross from Simon to make it 4-0 and seal a memorable night in Uyo.
The emphatic victory lifted Nigeria to 17 points, just three behind group winners South Africa, who booked direct qualification after a 3-0 win over Rwanda.
Nigeria’s progress, alongside Gabon, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso, is now pending official confirmation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to determine the final four best runners-up advancing to the inter-confederation play-offs.
The play-offs will feature four teams battling for one intercontinental slot, with semi-finals and a final scheduled to take place in Morocco.
The fixtures will be determined by the FIFA World Rankings released on October 23rd, 2025, pairing the highest-ranked side against the lowest and the second-highest against the third.
