Ademola Lookman netted a brilliant brace and Victor Osimhen got on the scoresheet as Nigeria powered to a 3-0 win over Benin in their opening game of the 2025 Africa Cup Nations qualifying campaign, Soccernet.ng reports.
The last time the two teams met in June during a World Cup qualifier, the Super Eagles were outclassed by Benin’s Cheetahs in a 2-1 defeat.
But it was sweet revenge for the coach Augustine Eguavoen-led Eagles at the Champions’ Nest in Uyo on Saturday evening.
Eguavoen took a leaf from Jose Peseiro’s playbook and set the Super Eagles up in a 3-4-3 formation.
Captain William Troost-Ekong returned to the defender beside Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi. Ola Aina and Bruno Onyemaechi slotted in at wingback while Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi started at the centre of the pack.
Victor Boniface got the nod in attack ahead of Victor Osimhen with Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman flanking the Bayer Leverkusen striker.
Still, Nigeria looked nervous and played with too much caution in the early stages, finding little joy going forward against a Benin side set up to be hard to break down by Gernot Rohr.
With the Super Eagles lacking fluidity in their movement and efficiency in their decision-making, Benin grew in confidence and began to threaten on the counter.
However, a couple of half chances came the way of Boniface, Lookman and Chukwueze but no one could manage to stick the ball into the back of the net.
It appeared as though the half would peter out into a goalless affair when Lookman struck with only seconds left on the clock.
The Atalanta forward charged into the penalty box after trapping a loose ball and he showed excellent dribbling skills to evade three markers before beating the goalkeeper with a low drive.
It was Lookman’s seventh goal for Nigeria since making his Super Eagles debut in March 2022. Only Victor Osimhen has scored more than the Ballon d’Or nominee within that period.
That Lookman goal stung Benin awake from their slumber and they came smoking guns at the start of the second half.
Eguavoen sent in Olisa Ndah, Moses Simon, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to replace Bassey, Chukwueze, and Iwobi.
Still, it did not halt the Benin momentum and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali had to make two brilliant saves in 60 seconds to protect Nigeria’s advantage.
Super Eagles weathered that storm to Eguavoen’s relief and the coach, shortly after, sent in Osimhen to take over from Boniface.
The new Galatasaray signing had barely been on the pitch for five minutes when he doubled Nigeria’s advantage.
The Super Eagles surged forward on the right flank from where Ndidi sent in a low cross which Osimhen smacked beyond the reach of the opposing goalkeeper.
It is Osimhen’s 22nd goal for the Super Eagles, which takes him clear of Yakubu Aiyegbeni on Nigeria’s record goal-scorers list. He is now only one shy of Segun Odegbami while the great Rashidi Yekini remains a mile out.
The Super Eagles were not done yet though and in the 83rd minute, Lookman got his second of the game and Nigeria’s third to seal a fine victory for the three-time African champions.
The win sends Nigeria to the top of Group D ahead of Libya and Rwanda who played out a draw earlier.
This post was last modified on September 7, 2024 7:33 pm
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