Victor Osimhen stole the spotlight with a sensational performance for the Super Eagles of Nigeria in 2025 AFCON qualifiers opener against Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
The Napoli forward, who struggled with a transfer move to Chelsea this summer, proved his worth as he scored just six minutes after coming on in the 72nd minutes.
Nigeria were leading by a lone goal and were struggling to double the lead in the second half before Osimhen came on and changed the trajectory of the game.
2024 Europa final hero Ademola Lookman had broke the goal deadlock at the stroke of half-time after an uneventful 45 minutes. A defensive blunder by the visitors saw the Atalanta forward steal his way into the box and drop more defenders before rounding off the Benin Republic goalkeeper to give Nigeria the lead.
Benin Republic’s underwhelming performance
Nigeria held a commanding sway over proceedings in the game with Benin Republic struggling to make their presence felt. Throughout the first half, the Gernot Rohr-led side did not register a single attempt on target. They committed more bodies to the defence to soak up pressure from Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Nigeria also struggled to create clearcut chances despite their commanding spell throughout the game. Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface recorded Nigeria’s biggest chance in the first half but squandered it after he failed to poke a scrambled ball over the top.
Ademola Lookman breaks goal Deadlock in style
Nigeria finally registered a breakthrough with an opening goal from Ademola Lookman. A masterclass from the Serie A forward saw him rip apart the visitors’ defence to give Nigeria a deserved lead. The goal saw the Super Eagles go into the break with a narrow lead.
Benin Republic put up a more impressive performance in the second half. Stanley Nwabali was forced to make a series of saves to deny the away side an equalizer as they continued to mount pressure.
Austin Eguavoen made key substitutions that changed the game
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles’ lethargic attack was evident. They struggled to move the ball forward and find Victor Boniface in the opponent’s half. A more determined Benin Republic side seemed to be on the ascendancy and were constantly threatening when charging forward.
Coming under pressure from the visitors, Nigeria made swift substitutions after the hour mark to bring the team back into the game. Calvin Bassey was off for Ndah. Samuel Chukwueze was also off for Moses Simon. Dele-Bashihru came on for Alex Iwobi.
The trio of substitutions changed the texture of the game with Nigeria back in the ascendancy. Victor Boniface was also hurled off as Nigeria’s 4th substitution in the 72nd minute with Victor Osimhen coming on.
Impact substitute Victor Osimhen doubles lead four minutes after coming on
Victor Osimhen made a brilliant return to the Super Eagles since the 2023 AFCON. The Napoli forward, on loan to Galatasaray, scored two minutes after coming on, thanks to an assist by Wilfried Ndidi.
The goal saw the player increase his tally with the Super Eagles to 22 goals in 36 matches and it came at the back of a dragging transfer saga this summer.
Osimhen was linked to a transfer to Chelsea but the move could not go through due to Chelsea’s poor offer to the player. The instant goal against Benin Republic saw the player reaffirmed his class as a top-rated forward.
Football fans reacts to Ademola Lookman’s brace
Ademola Lookman is another player who shone bright for the Super Eagles against Benin Republic after Victor Osimhen. The 2024 Ballon d’Or nominee scored Nigeria’s third goal and his second in the evening to wrap up a thumping 3-0 victory for the Super Eagles.
Nigeria fans took to social media to celebrate the players’ impressive run with some netizens already touting him to win the next edition of CAF Men’s Footballer of the Year Award.
A fan wrote, “Africa’s best player.”
Another said, “Incoming CAF best player.”
Another wrote, “He beats one. Beats two. Beats three. Leaves the fourth and the rest is history.”
Lookman has now scored his 8th goal for Nigeria Super Eagles following the brace against Benin Republic. He had six goals to his name in his 24 caps with the team.
The Atalanta winger was Nigeria’s top scorer in the 2023 AFCON. He scored three goals with one assist in seven appearances in the tournament.
He will hope to continue on his top-level performance in Nigeria’s next fixture in Kigali against Rwanda. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at the Amahoro Stadium.
