Osimhen hits new record as Nigeria secure 1-1 draw with Benin Republic
It’s a night to remember for all Nigerians as the country booked its qualificationsl for the next year’s AFCON in Morocco.
Although Nigeria played a 1-1 draw with Benin Republic, which further cemented their place at the top of the table,but the Super Eagles had already laid their hands on the ticket following Libya’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda earlier in the evening.
For Benin, the draw means there qualification is now hanging in the balance as all the teams head into the final game of the qualifying series.
For record. It’s 21st time that Nigeria is qualifying for the African showpiece.
The Super Eagles vs Benin game was played under driving rain inside the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny. It produced a number of interesting moments, but the biggest was when Victor Osimhen celebrated wildly as his 81st minute header that sailed past goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou not only secured Nigeria’s first place in the group, but also put him at par with the legendary Olusegun Odegbami in goals’ tally for Nigeria. Both are now joint second to the top man, Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) who scored 37 goals in 58 matches.
Osimhen’s goal, in which he profited from a pinpoint cross from Moses Simon, and restored parity on the night after Mohamed Tijani’s goal for the Cheetahs in the 16th minute, was his 23rd for the senior team. Odegbami, the former captain of the team who took the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations finals by the scruff, scored his 23 goals in 46 matches.
The downpour ushered the two teams into a game of two halves, with the Cheetahs keeping possession and running rings round the Super Eagles for large swathes of the first period. However, Tijani’s header from a cross by the vibrant Junior Olaitan that found the net by going through the legs of goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, was against the run of play.
Minutes earlier, Alex Iwobi had miscued when Osimhen headed down the ball for him from Bruno Onyemaechi’s cross, and Osimhen himself was foiled by Dandjinou just before the Cheetahs struck at the other end.
Nwabali was alert to punch away as Olaitan broke loose three minutes later, and it was ding-dong until four minutes before the break, when Osimhen should have scored from a brilliant Onyemaechi cross, only to watch the ball roll away from goal after his header.
In the 55th minute, Ademola Lookman and Osimhen caused anxious moments at the Benin Republic rear, but Olaitan also got close after Captain William Ekong and Olaoluwa Aina fumbled with the ball down the line. Onyemaechi, coming forward a lot, saw his shot roll agonizingly away from goal just after the hour, and Osimhen headed wide away in the 74th minute as the Cheetahs began to nurse hopes of a win.
Osimhen had other ideas. His goal sent the Super Eagles to Morocco 2025 as group winners, and ensured the Eagles remain unbeaten in the AFCON qualification campaign going into their last game of the series, against Rwanda in Uyo on Monday.
Rwanda, with five points from their five games after an unexpected 1-0 loss to Libya in Kigali also on Thursday, must beat the Super Eagles in Uyo and hope that Libya overwhelm Benin Republic in Tripoli on Monday, to spring to second place and collect the second ticket to the finals from Group D.
“It was a tough game and I congratulate the players for a spirited display in the second half that earned us the equalizer. The downpour made the game difficult for both teams, but I am happy we have the AFCON finals ticket in the bag ahead of the final game of the series against Rwanda in Uyo on Monday,” Coach Augustine Eguavoen said.
