Nigeria stormed into the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup CAF playoff series after a dramatic 4–1 extra-time victory over Gabon in Rabat — a match filled with twists, tension, and moments of brilliance from the Super Eagles.
The encounter came alive in the 78th minute when Akor Adams broke the deadlock, racing through on goal and calmly slotting past the Gabonese goalkeeper to give Nigeria a deserved lead.
However, just as the Super Eagles looked set to close out the game, Mario Lemina struck deep into stoppage time, his deflected shot finding the net in the 90+5th minute to force extra time and send a wave of tension through the Nigerian camp.
Nigeria nearly sealed victory before the end of regulation time — Victor Osimhen came close twice — but the breakthrough didn’t come until extra time.
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In the 97th minute, Chidera Ejuke restored Nigeria’s advantage with a composed finish after a slick passing move. Moments later, in the 102nd minute, Osimhen made no mistake, latching onto a perfect through ball and firing home to make it 3–1.
With Gabon running out of steam, Osimhen struck again in the 110th minute, sprinting into open space and finishing clinically to secure his brace and cap off a dominant extra-time performance.
The result sees Nigeria advance to Sunday’s playoff final, where they will face the winner of Cameroon vs DR Congo — with a coveted ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup up for grabs.
