Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has made a surprising selection for Nigeria's best performer in their crucial 4-1 victory against Gabon, choosing young defender Benjamin Fredrick over two-goal hero Victor Osimhen.
Super Eagles Secure Dramatic World Cup Playoff Victory
The Nigerian national team booked their place in the final of the African play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a tense semifinal encounter in Rabat on Thursday night. The match required extra time before Eric Chelle's men finally overpowered a stubborn Gabonese side.
According to live score reports, the game remained tightly contested after 90 minutes, with Akor Adams putting Nigeria ahead in the 78th minute by capitalizing on a poor back pass from the Gabon defense. However, Mario Lemina fired home a deflected equalizer in the 89th minute, sending the match into extra time.
Osimhen Brace Seals Victory After Nervous Start
With the score level at 1-1 after regulation time, Nigeria unleashed their full attacking power during extra time. Chidera Ejuke restored Nigeria's lead with a composed finish in the 97th minute before Victor Osimhen took over the spotlight.
The Galatasaray striker found the net twice, first in the 102nd minute following a surging run from Benjamin Fredrick, and again in the 110th minute to put the game beyond Gabon's reach. Osimhen, in visible relief after earlier missing a stoppage-time sitter in regulation time, celebrated by ripping off his face mask and shirt.
Oliseh's Unexpected Choice for Man of the Match
While Osimhen's goals dominated headlines, Sunday Oliseh insisted the real hero of the night was 20-year-old defender Benjamin Fredrick. The Brentford loanee, currently at Belgium's Dender FC, delivered a composed and commanding performance, effectively neutralizing Gabon's most dangerous attackers, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Bouanga.
Fredrick's sharp reading of the game, clean positioning, and maturity in possession were crucial to Nigeria's defensive stability throughout the match. The young defender's performance was so impressive that head coach Eric Chelle opted to leave captain William Troost-Ekong on the bench for most of the encounter.
Oliseh took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise the emerging star, writing: "I personally found Benjamin Frédéric to be the most influential player yesterday versus Gabon for SuperEagles. Always well positioned, pacy, decisive and played Simple. Now let's celebrate today. But from Tomorrow CONGO needs to be our next Victim."
Nigeria Shifts Focus to DR Congo Final
With Gabon now behind them, the Super Eagles turn their attention to Sunday's crucial playoff final against DR Congo. The Leopards stunned continental giants Cameroon 1-0 in the other semifinal, with captain Chancel Mbemba scoring in stoppage time at Stade El Barid.
The winner of this final will advance to the six-team intercontinental playoff scheduled for next March in Mexico. There, two remaining slots for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, will be up for grabs.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has praised Victor Osimhen after his brace in Nigeria's victory, recognizing his crucial contribution to putting the Super Eagles in a better position to become Africa's representative at the inter-continental playoffs in March 2026.
