NewsOnline Nigeria reports that The Super Eagles cruised to a 4–1 victory over Gabon in their 2026 World Cup playoff semi-final on Thursday evening.
Nigeria advanced to the mini-tournament after finishing as one of the best runners-up in the main qualifying round.
Eric Chelle’s side secured second place behind South Africa, who claimed the automatic Group C qualification spot.
The Super Eagles dominated the opening stages against the Panthers but struggled to convert their early chances into goals.
They narrowly escaped conceding a penalty when Bright Osayi-Samuel appeared to pull a Gabonese player’s shirt — a moment reviewed by VAR — but the referee ultimately waved play on.
In the 78th minute, Adams Akor broke the deadlock, capitalizing on a loose ball to score into an empty net. Gabon, however, equalized ten minutes later through Mario Lemina’s deflected strike, which slipped past Stanley Nwabali.
Early in extra time, Chidera Ejuke restored Nigeria’s lead after a fine assist from Wilfred Ndidi, before Victor Osimhen sealed the victory with a late brace.
With the 4–1 win, Nigeria advanced to the playoff final, where they will face the winner between DR Congo and Cameroon for a spot in the intercontinental playoffs set for March 2026.
