2026 World Cup Race: Hope alive as Osimhen’s double rejuvenates Nigeria’s campaign

Posted : 23 March 2025

Forward Victor Osimhen, who had not played any part in the campaign previously, rose to the occasion and rejuvenated Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.

The Super Eagles’ 2-0 win over Amavubi in Kigali on Friday did not take them to the top of Group C in the African qualifiers, but it placed them back among the contenders in a group where they inexplicably dropped nine of a possible 12 points in their previous four matches.

The Turkish-based 2023 Africa Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, had been sidelined due to injury for those matches.

Now, Nigeria has accumulated six points, only four behind top-placed South Africa, who defeated Lesotho in a match played simultaneously with the one in Kigali.

In his first appearance of the campaign, it took Osimhen just 10 minutes to make an impact. Nigeria was awarded a free-kick on the left side of Rwanda’s area, and Ademola Lookman delivered it into the box where three white shirts were positioned. The best-placed of them, Osimhen, connected brilliantly, and goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari had no chance.

Six months ago, Ntwari had been the hero, denying the Eagles multiple times in their 2025 AFCON qualifier at the same venue, which ended in a scoreless draw. As Osimhen wheeled away in celebration, the full house at the magnificent Amahoro Stadium, who had been singing and clapping for three hours, fell silent.

Nigeria continued to dominate. Three minutes later, captain William Ekong headed over from Lookman’s corner, and in the 24th minute, France-based Simon Moses came close with an angled shot that Fiacre managed to save in time, pushing it over the bar.

Two minutes into added time in the first half, Osimhen scored his second. The Amavubi had launched another futile attack, and in a swift counter, Samuel Chukwueze cleverly headed the ball to beat the defense and set up Osimhen, who easily beat his marker and raced away, chipping the ball past an exposed Fiacre.

The three-time African champions spent the second half ensuring they controlled the pace of the game, as they look ahead to Tuesday’s home game against Zimbabwe on Day 6 of the qualification series.

As a result, Osimhen surpassed Olusegun Odegbami in the number of goals for Nigeria, now with 25 goals in 48 matches, making him second only to Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory), who scored 37 goals in 58 matches. Odegbami had 23 goals, while Yakubu Ayegbeni scored 21, and Ikechukwu Uche and Obafemi Martins scored 19 and 18 goals, respectively.

The Super Eagles' contingent is now on its way to Uyo after departing Kigali earlier today.

2026 World Cup Race: Hope alive as Osimhen’s double rejuvenates Nigeria’s campaign

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