Victor Osimhen scored a crucial second-half header to salvage a 1-1 draw for the Super Eagles against the Benin Republic in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on Thursday at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny.
Despite already qualifying for the tournament following Libya’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda, Nigeria fought hard to secure a point against a Benin side determined to boost their own chances for AFCON.
Benin, managed by former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr, showed their intent early, pressing for the win they needed to improve their standing in Group D. The Super Eagles, led by the return of star striker Osimhen, were initially on the back foot, with Benin taking control from the kickoff.
Osimhen, making his first start for Nigeria since the AFCON final earlier this year, injected energy into the Nigerian attack. He nearly set up Alex Iwobi for an opener but missed the assist after Iwobi struggled to control a headed pass inside the box. Moments later, Kelechi Iheanacho sent Osimhen through on goal, but Benin’s goalkeeper Danjinou managed to reach the ball first, though his boot caught Osimhen, who took a few minutes to recover.
The Beninese capitalized on their pressure, opening the scoring from a set piece. A short corner led to a cross that found Mohamed Tijani unmarked, allowing him to head the ball between Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali’s legs and into the net.
Nigeria continued to press after the break, with Coach Eguavoen bringing on Raphael Onyedika and Moses Simon to counter Benin’s defense. The breakthrough finally came in the 81st minute when Moses Simon’s perfect cross found Osimhen, who headed the ball into the net to equalize, scoring his 23rd international goal and matching Segun Odegbami as the Super Eagles’ second-highest all-time goalscorer.
With 11 points, Nigeria has secured the top spot in Group D. The Super Eagles will face Rwanda in their final qualifier in Uyo on Monday.
