By
Eniola Olatunji 

Super Eagles on Tuesday night at the God’swill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo in Nigeria thrashed Benin Republic 4-0 with Eagles Talisman, former African Footballer of the year, Victor Osimhen riding on the back of the Cheetahs three times out of four to cripple the Beninese in the quest to play the Male world cup for the first time.

The victory was a repeat performance of the world cup qualifier between both countries in the build up to the 2010 world cup staged in South Africa.

Unfortunately, the hope that South Africa will lose to Rwanda for Nigeria to qualify was dashed as South Africa has automatically qualified for the world cup despite FIFA’s deduction of 3 points along the line but with the needed 4-0 victory of Nigeria the Super Eagles by CAF rule has qualified to play the playoff matches. 

Osimhen went smoking in Uyo with the belt he uses to tame his Bull Dog transferred to handling the Cheetahs as he scored in the 3rd minute from a Samuel Chukwueze pass; scored the 2nd goal with a perfect header again from a Chukwueze connect and made his hat trick with a diving header in the 51st minute when Moses Simon floated a free kick to him from outside the box. It was classic and vintage Victor Osimhen but Nigeria left it late.

Mid fielder, Frank Onyeka of Brantford of England shocked in the 4th goal in the  90+1st  minute a Simon Moses pass. And the Nest Stadium ground roared in ecstasy.   

However while the Super Eagles were making sports of the Cheetah of Benin with  their former Coach Rohr in charge, South Africa at the 43.500 capacity Rugby ground of Mombela Stadium humbled fellow South of Africa country Rwanda 3-0.

Orlando Pirates Mid fielder, Thalente Mbaka scored in the 5th minute through fellow Orlando Pirate player, Oswin Appollos pass; Appollos himself scored the 2nd goal in the 26th minute from Evidence Makgopa assist while Makgopa made it 3-0 at the 72nd minute.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria and former Squirrels now Cheetahs of Benin Republic met 12 times with Nigeria winning 9 times, Benin 2 times and a draw.  Both met 7 times at AFCON, twice at CHAN meetings, once at WAFU level, once at the world cup qualifiers and once in a friendly encounter. 

Highest goal record of Nigeria was 4-0 of 9th April 2010 while highest win for Benin was 2-1 in Abidjan on 10th June 2024. Just six records of meeting. On 21st September 2017 at WAFU Nigeria won by a lone goal; on 13tth November 2019 at AFCON Nigeria again won 2-1; on 27th March 2021 still at AFCON it was Nigeria 1 Benin 0; the only World cup encounter of 10th June 2024 saw Benin celebrating lavishly in the dressing room after a 2-1 victory with former Nigerian coach in charge of the Benin team; on 7th September 2024 Nigeria pecked the Cheetahs 3-0 in AFCON qualifier and still At AFCON on 14th November 2024 it was 1-1 draw.

Nigeria ranked 45 in the world had been to the world cup finals 6 times but    stopped at Round of 16 thrice in 1994, 1998 and 2014.  Nigeria had been African Champions through AFCON thrice in 1980, 1994 and 2013.

Benin ranked 93 has never been to the world cup but appeared at AFCON final tournaments five times with their only best 2019 quarterfinals when they lost to Senegal by a lone goal in Cairo on 10th July. That year Nigeria defeated Tunisia also by a lone goal in Cairo to clinch the Bronze after losing to Algeria 1-2 in the semifinals.  

Yesterday Monday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Olokwane South Africa Lesotho defeated Zimbabwe by an added time lone strike at 90+3rd minute by Hlompho Kalake of Lesotho home team of Bantu FC. It was Kalake who scored in the 1-2 defeat to Nigeria on 10th October world cup match.  

Group C therefore ended with South Africa chalking 18 points with 15 goals scored and 9 conceded; Nigeria rose from the dust to come 2nd with her 17 points 15 goals scored and 8 goals conceded in a goals difference of +7 pushing Benin down the ladder by goals difference as Benin too made 17 points scoring 12 goals and conceding 7 in a goals difference of +5.

Well, Lesotho led the pack of cheer teams in the 4th position with 12 points scoring 9 goals and conceding 12; Rwanda Wasps could not sting South Africa and stayed 5th with 11 points scoring 5 goals and conceding 9 while Zimbabwe was 6th with 5 points from 10 matches played scoring 5 goals and conceding12 goals.

Teams to be involved in the Play offs and the dates for their trials will be announced by FIFA soon. The 2026 world cup finals will be played in three American countries next year.