Victor Osimhen scored an extra-time brace and Chidera Ejuke added a goal to give Nigeria a 4-1 win over Gabon in the CAF World Cup playoff semifinals in Rabat, Morocco, on Thursday.
Nigeria, who finished in second place in their group during CAF qualifying and were forced into the playoff route to reach the World Cup, will face Congo DR on Sunday hoping to clinch a spot in the six-team inter-confederation playoff in March.
The Super Eagles opened the scoring late in the second half of a tense, back and forth affair when Akor Adams pounced on a wayward pass by the Gabon defense, rounded the keeper and finished into an open net.
With time running out on Gabon, Mario Lemina‘s shot from the left side of the penalty area deflected off a Nigerian defender and beat keeper Stanley Nwabali at his near post to level the score.
Nigeria star Osimhen missed two golden chances to seal the win for the Super Eagles in second-half added time as the game went to extra time where Osimhen and Ejuke put their team through with a pair of well-taken goals. Red-hot Galatasaray striker Osimhen then added his second goal in extra time to put the game well out of reach for Gabon.
The Super Eagles preparation for Thursday’s semifinal had been interrupted by a standoff between players and the Nigerian federation over unpaid bonuses. However, that was resolved on Wednesday, with team captain William Troost-Ekong posting on social media: “We are together and, as before, focused on the games ahead!”
Nigeria missed out on the 2022 World Cup after losing to Ghana in that cycle’s qualification playoff. Gabon has never qualified for a World Cup final.
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