Osimhen’s Late Header Saves the Day
Victor Osimhen’s late header salvaged a 1-1 draw for Nigeria’s Super Eagles against Benin Republic, ensuring they will finish top of Group D in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Already guaranteed a place in next year’s tournament in Morocco, the Super Eagles needed Osimhen’s 81st-minute goal to avoid a shock defeat in Abidjan after Mohamed Tijani had given the home side the lead in the first half.
Securing Top Spot
The draw confirmed Nigeria’s first-place finish in the group with 11 points, ahead of Benin (7 points) and Rwanda. Despite having already secured qualification thanks to Libya’s 1-0 win over Rwanda, Nigeria started strongly against Benin. However, the Super Eagles failed to capitalize on their chances, with Osimhen missing the best opportunity of the opening 45 minutes.
Benin’s Early Lead
Benin Republic made Nigeria pay when Mohamed Tijani opened the scoring, assisted by Victor Olaitan. The Cheetahs looked threatening from crosses in the early exchanges, and a lovely cross from Junior Olaitan was headed home by Tijani at the near-post to hand Benin a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. The Super Eagles should have leveled matters in the 42nd minute when Bruno Onyemaechi’s pin-point cross found an unmarked Osimhen, who somehow headed wide of the target from close range, leaving Benin 1-0 up at half-time.
Second Half Action
Both teams launched attacks after the restart, with neither side ready to sit back and defend. Junior Olaitan failed to beat goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali from close range in the 62nd minute, before Onyemaechi’s effort clipped the near-post 10 minutes later at the other end. The late chance fell for Osimhen, who was able to make amends for his surprise first-half miss. The Galatasaray striker headed home an inspired substitute Moses Simon’s top-notch cross in the 81st minute to ensure that the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Looking Ahead
As a result, the Cheetahs remained second in the Group D standings after letting a lead slip, and they will qualify for the AFCON finals if they secure a victory over Libya away from home on 18 November. An already-qualified Nigeria side, on the other hand, maintained a four-point lead at the top of the Group D standings and will wrap up a successful qualifying campaign with a match against Rwanda at home on 18 November.
The draw ensured Nigeria’s top spot in the group with a match to spare, while Benin, despite a valiant effort, remained second. The Super Eagles will now focus on their final match against Rwanda, looking to finish their qualifying campaign on a high note.