Nigeria 3-0 Benin: Lookman and Osimhen power Super Eagles to emphatic AFCON 2025 win

Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen fired Nigeria’s Super Eagles to a comprehensive win against the Benin Republic in the AFCON 2025 qualifier.

An Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen-inspired Super Eagles of Nigeria emphatically avenged their previous defeat to Benin Republic with a commanding 3-0 victory in their AFCON 2025 qualifier.
Led by the brilliant performances of Lookman and Osimhen, Nigeria dominated the match from start to finish, erasing memories of their painful loss in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Lookman, the Atalanta star and Ballon d’Or nominee opened the scoring with a superb solo effort late in the first half, breaking the deadlock after a period of sustained pressure from the Nigerian side.

His individual brilliance set the tone for what was to come in the second half.

The introduction of Victor Osimhen off the bench proved to be a masterstroke by interim coach Augustine Eguavoen.

The Galatasaray striker, fresh from his high-profile transfer saga, made an immediate impact by doubling Nigeria’s lead with a stunning goal that showcased his world-class ability.

Not content with just one goal, Lookman sealed his exceptional performance with a second strike, completing his brace and putting the result beyond any doubt. The 3-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of Nigeria’s dominance throughout the match.

Nigeria vs Benin in brief

The Super Eagles started as expected, on the front foot as they dominated most of the opening half but struggled to find a way around the Benin defence.

However, just before the break, Lookman, 26, finally broke the deadlock with a brilliant solo goal to save Nigeria’s blushes heading into the break.

In the second 45, Eguavoen and his team started as the ended the first, on a positive note but failed to find the second goal, with Lookman the closest again after rounding the goal in the 52nd minute.

However, in the 72nd minute, Osimhen was substituted for Victor Boniface and six minutes later, the Galatasaray new boy showed Napoli what they would miss when he made it 2-0 with a stunning striker from six yards.

Lookman wrapped up proceedings with his second and Nigeria’s third five minutes later to seal the deal and Nigeria’s first win since March.

What the win means

This victory marks a significant turnaround for the Super Eagles, who had faced criticism following their unexpected defeat to Benin in the World Cup qualifiers.

Eguavoen’s tactics and the team’s execution were spot-on, as they controlled the game from the first whistle to the last.

The win puts Nigeria in a strong position in their AFCON 2025 qualifying group and sends a clear message to their continental rivals.

With the combination of Lookman’s flair and Osimhen’s lethal finishing, the Super Eagles have shown they possess the firepower to challenge for top honours.

The Super Eagles kicked off their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a home against Benin.

In what is the second meeting between both sides in four months, the Super Eagles were looking to avenge the 2-1 loss in June.

Lookman calms Nigerian nerves with solo goal

Despite dominating proceedings for the major part of the first half, Nigeria found it difficult to create clear openings.

With the first half coming to a close and a nervy home crowd growing impatient, Lookman took matters into his own hands.

Fresh from his Ballon d’Or nomination, the Atalanta forward was brewing with confidence, and this was evident in the goal.

After the ball fell to him close to the Benin box, Lookman dribbled past three opposition defenders and avoided a fourth before slotting the ball beyond the goalkeeper.

Lookman’s Ballon d’Or nomination

Lookman became the ninth Nigerian to be nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, a reward for his fantastic season with Atalanta.

The attacker helped the Italian side secure the first ever trophy in their history by scoring a hat trick against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final – the first man to do so in a one-legged European final.