Nigeria’s Super Eagles delivered a commanding performance on Tuesday night, defeating the Benin Republic 4–0 in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Victor Osimhen was the star of the night, netting a sensational hat-trick to lead Nigeria to victory at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny. The Napoli striker opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, converting a sharp pass from Samuel Chukwueze after a swift attacking build-up.

Osimhen struck again in the 37th minute, once more assisted by Chukwueze, doubling Nigeria’s lead before halftime. He completed his hat-trick in the 51st minute, pouncing on a defensive error to make it 3–0.

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Frank Onyeka came off the bench to round off the scoring in the 90th minute, firing home a composed finish to seal an emphatic win for the visitors.

The dominant result pushes Nigeria into the playoff round of the African qualifiers, a key step toward securing a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Meanwhile, group leaders South Africa confirmed their qualification after a convincing 3–0 victory over Rwanda earlier in the day.

With momentum on their side, the Super Eagles now look ahead to the playoff stage as they continue their push for a spot on football’s biggest stage.