Super Eagles Crush Gabon 4-1 to Reach 2026 World Cup Playoff Final

The Super Eagles cruised past Gabon with an emphatic 4-1 victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff semi-final on Thursday night, sealing their place in the next stage of the qualifiers.

Nigeria advanced to the mini-tournament as one of the best runners-up in the main qualifying rounds, narrowly missing out on an automatic slot to South Africa, who topped Group C.

From kickoff, the Eagles dominated possession and tempo, pinning the Panthers back in their half. Despite creating several clear chances, they couldn’t convert their early dominance into goals.

PulseNets learnt that the Nigerians were fortunate not to concede a penalty midway through the first half after Bright Osayi-Samuel’s shirt pull on a Gabonese forward was reviewed by VAR. Following a lengthy check on the pitchside monitor, the referee waved play on, sparing the Eagles a tense moment.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 78th minute, when Adams Akor capitalized on a defensive lapse, slotting home from close range into an empty net. However, Gabon responded ten minutes later through Mario Lemina, whose deflected strike wrong-footed goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, making it 1-1.

In extra time, Chidera Ejuke restored Nigeria’s advantage with a calm finish after a brilliant assist from Wilfred Ndidi, before Victor Osimhen sealed the win with a superb brace that left the Gabonese defense in disarray.

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A team source told PulseNets that “the boys showed great character after Gabon’s equalizer; this performance proves we are ready for the next challenge.”

Nigeria will now battle the winner between DR Congo and Cameroon for a place in the intercontinental playoffs slated for March 2026 — a crucial step toward returning to the world’s biggest football stage.