Osimhen hat-trick keeps Nigeria’s World Cup hopes alive

By Emmanuel Austin Baah On Oct 14, 2025

A hat-trick from Victor Osimhen and a stoppage-time goal from Frank Onyeka guided Nigeria to a solid 4-0 win over Benin in their final FIFA World Cup qualifier, in Uyo.

The Super Eagles finish second in Group C, and will now go into the interconfederation playoffs to fight for a spot at the World Cup.

Going into this match, Nigeria were third in Group C with 14 points, sitting one point behind second-placed South Africa and three behind leaders Benin.

But the Nigerians changed their destiny with their own efforts, thrashing Benin 4-0 to move to the second place.

Thanks to their impressive goal-scoring performance, the result also confirmed they will finish as one of the four best runners-up from the CAF qualifiers, who will have a chance at World Cup qualification through an intercontinental playoff.

South Africa walked away with the top spot with their 3-0 victory over Rwanda, securing their return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010.

So far, seven African teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

Algeria
Egypt
Ghana
Morocco
Tunisia
Cape Verde
South Africa

Two more spots will be filled later on Tuesday, as the winners of Groups B and F will be decided.

One more African team could qualify via the interconfederation playoffs.

The second round of the CAF qualifiers will pit the four best runners-up in two one-off semifinals, followed by a final. The winner of this second round will participate in the FIFA playoff tournament.

The interconfederation playoffs will see six sides fight it out for the final two places at the World Cup.

It will involve two teams from CONCACAF and one team each from the AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL and OFC. The tournament will take place in March 2026.

Author

Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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