Nigeria Thrash Gabon 4-1 To Reach World Cup Play-Off Final

Nigeria claimed a hard-fought 4-1 victory against Gabon in Rabat on Thursday. They thus advance to the final of the African and of the playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The breakthrough came when Akor Adams pounced on a loose back-pass in the 78th minute to slot home Nigeria’s opener. But Gabon rallied late, with Mario Lemina equalising in the 89th minute to send the match into extra time.

In the added 30 minutes, Nigeria re-took command. Chidera Ejuke put them ahead early in in the 97th minute with a clinical finish from Wilfred Ndidi’s setup.

Afterwards, Victor Osimhen added two goals of his own to seal the result. His first was a brilliant angled strike in the 102nd minute, followed by a second in the 110th minute that sealed the 4-1 victory.

The win came amidst off-the-field distractions. Earlier in the week the Nigeria squad staged a training boycott over long-unpaid bonuses dating back to 2019. That dispute was resolved just before the game.

Nigeria will now play the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the chance to advance to the inter-continental play-offs in March.