Nigeria's talisman Osimhen scores late to deny Benin

Yesterday at 04:12 PM

Nigeria and Benin drew 1-1 in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group D match at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny on Thursday night.

As a result, the Cheetahs remained second in the Group D standings after letting a lead slip and they will qualify for the AFCON finals if they secure a victory over Libya away from home on 18 November.

An already-qualified Nigeria side, on the other hand, maintained a four-point lead at the top of the Group D standings and the Super Eagles will wrap up a successful qualifying campaign with a match against Rwanda at home on 18 November.

The Cheetahs looked threatening from crosses in the early exchanges and a lovely cross from Junior Olaitan was headed home by Mohamed Tijani at the near-post to hand Benin a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute.

The Super Eagles should have levelled matters in the 42nd minute when Bruno Onyemaechi’s pin-point cross found an unmarked Victor Osimhen who somehow headed wide of the target from close range and Benin were 1-0 up at half-time.

Both teams launched attacks after the restart with neither side ready to sit back and defend. Junior Olaitan failed to beat goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali from close range in the 62nd minute, before Onyemaechi’s effort clipped the near-post 10 minutes later at the other end.

The late chance fell for Osimhen who was able to make amends for his surprise first-half miss as the Galatasaray striker headed home inspired substitute Moses Simon’s top-notch cross in the 81st minute to ensure that the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Benin (1) 1 (Tijani 17′)
Nigeria (0) 1 (Osimhen 81′)

Benin: Dandjinou; Moumini, Ouorou, Roche; Tijani, D'Almeida (Adilehou 75′), Dokou; Hassane, Olaitan, Mounie, Aiyegun (Hountondji 82′)
Nigeria: Nwabali; Osho (Simon 46′), Ekong, Bassey; Aina (Osayi-Samuel 82′), Ndidi, Iwobi (Boniface 72′), Onyemaechi; Iheanacho (Onyekadi 46′), Osimhen, Lookman (Onyeka 90’+1)