Nigeria's Extra-Time Brilliance Sends Them to Africa's World Cup Playoff Final
13 November 2025
Match snapshot
Nigeria reached the Africa play-off final for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America after overcoming Gabon 4-1 in extra time, following a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation on Thursday at Prince Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
What happened on the pitch
The Nigerians dominated the first half with several openings, notably through Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, who headed narrowly wide in the 17th minute and again tested the Gabon goalkeeper with a close-range effort in the 21st.
Gabon tightened up after the break. Akor Adams broke the deadlock for Gabon in the late stage of regular time (79th), before Mababa drew Gabon level with a strike from inside the box in the 89th minute, sending the game to extra time.
Refreshed in extra time, Nigeria surged ahead as Chidera Ejuke finished a sharp assist from Wilfred Ndidi in the 97th minute, and Osimhen doubled the lead with a left-foot finish in the 102nd. He completed the scoring with another strike in the 110th, sealing a 4-1 win after the extra period.
The match confirmed Nigeria’s ambition to reach the World Cup finals for the seventh time, continuing a history of deep runs in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2018. The winner will face Cameroon or DR Congo in the second global playoff semifinal, with the final and the rest of the global playoff matches set for 2026. The global playoff draw is scheduled for November 20 at FIFA headquarters, with the matches taking place in Mexico.
With the drama settled, the focus shifts to the next obstacle—Cameroon or DR Congo—before Nigeria can dream of a North American World Cup appearance.
Punchline time: If football had a sniper mode, Nigeria just zeroed in on Gabon—and the clock, too. And if humor counted as a goal, these extra minutes would have earned a golden boot. Punchline 2: The ball probably needs a vacation after that sprint—it ran more today than some of us do in a week.
