Africa-Press – Lesotho. Nigeria’s hopes of sealing a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will have to wait a bit longer as the Super Eagles were held 1-1 by Gabon in regulation time of their playoff clash in Rabat on Thursday evening.
After a tense opening hour marked by missed chances and cagey play, Nigeria finally broke the deadlock in the 78th minute through striker Adams Akor, who converted smartly after a well-worked move involving Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze.
However, just as the Super Eagles seemed to be cruising toward victory, Gabon’s captain Mario Lemina struck a dramatic equaliser in the 89th minute, pouncing on a loose ball inside the Nigerian penalty area to send the game into extra time.
Nigeria’s top striker Victor Osimhen was guilty of missing two clear-cut opportunities earlier in the match—both of which could have sealed the win for the Super Eagles before Lemina’s late strike.
With the scores tied at 1-1, the tense encounter will now proceed to extra time, as both sides battle for a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
Full Time (90 minutes): Nigeria 1–1 Gabon
Goals: Adams Akor (78’), Mario Lemina (89’)
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