The Super Eagles wrapped up their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in emphatic fashion on Tuesday evening, defeating Benin Republic 4–0 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Nigeria entered the encounter needing a convincing result to strengthen their qualification hopes after a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Lesotho at the weekend.
The hosts made a perfect start against former coach Gernot Rohr’s Benin side, with Victor Osimhen opening the scoring inside three minutes.
The Napoli striker doubled Nigeria’s lead shortly before half-time, heading home from a well-delivered cross to put the Eagles firmly in control.
Osimhen completed his hat-trick early in the second half, underlining his status as Nigeria’s leading marksman, before Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka sealed the win with a powerful volley late in the game.
Despite the commanding performance, Nigeria finished second in Group C behind South Africa, who secured the automatic qualification spot with a 3–0 victory over Rwanda.
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Speaking after the match, Super Eagles head coach Finidi George praised his players for their professionalism and fighting spirit.
“The boys showed great character tonight,” Finidi said. “We wanted to end the campaign on a high note, and they responded brilliantly. Osimhen was exceptional, but overall it was a solid team performance. We’ll take the positives and keep building for future competitions.”
Captain William Troost-Ekong also hailed the team’s display, saying the result was a reflection of their determination to restore confidence among fans.
“It’s always an honour to represent Nigeria,” he said. “We gave everything today and wanted to show that the Super Eagles are still strong contenders. The support from the home fans in Uyo really pushed us.”
