September 07, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Super Eagles kicked off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Saturday evening.
Ademola Lookman scored twice, while Victor Osimhen added another to secure the win. The match remained goalless until injury time in the first half when Lookman broke the deadlock. The Atalanta forward skillfully evaded two defenders before firing an unstoppable shot past Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou.
The Super Eagles continued to dominate in the second half, with Osimhen coming off the bench to double their lead in the 78th minute, assisted by Wilfried Ndidi. Lookman completed his brace five minutes later, finishing off a pass from Moses Simon to seal the 3-0 victory.
The win puts Nigeria at the top of Group D with three points, while Rwanda and Libya share second place with one point each following their draw. Benin sit at the bottom of the group without any points.
Despite Benin’s veteran striker, Steve Mounie, having a chance to equalise early in the second half, Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, was able to make the save. The Super Eagles’ attack proved too strong for the Cheetahs’ defence, with Samuel Chukwueze also causing problems for the visitors throughout the match.
The qualification campaign continues on Tuesday, with Nigeria travelling to face Rwanda in Kigali, while Benin will host Libya in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The Super Eagles will aim to build on this strong start as they pursue qualification for the 2025 AFCON tournament.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
