Super Eagles reached Sunday’s decisive clash after extra-time win over Gabon, with the winner advancing to the 2026 Intercontinental Play-Offs for a World Cup berth.
Nigeria moved one step closer to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a dramatic 4–1 extra-time victory over Gabon in the CAF play-off semi-final on Thursday November 13, 2025, setting up a decisive meeting with DR Congo in Rabat, Morocco.
Super Eagles, under intense pressure following a turbulent week, delivered a composed and disciplined performance that ultimately proved too much for Gabon. The win keeps their World Cup ambitions alive as they prepare for Sunday November 16, 2025’s final, where the stakes could not be higher.
Nigeria began the match brightly, controlling possession and stretching the Gabonese defense. Early chances fell to Bright Osayi-Samuel and Victor Osimhen, whose thumping header struck the post in the 17th minute. Despite the sustained pressure, Gabon held firm and the first half ended without a breakthrough.
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Akor Adams finally broke the deadlock shortly after the restart, reacting quickest to a loose ball to give Nigeria a deserved lead. But Gabon refused to fold. With just a minute left in regulation time, Mario Lemina pounced on a defensive lapse to force extra time and momentarily unsettle the Nigerian bench.
Extra time, however, belonged entirely to the Super Eagles. Chidera Ejuke restored the advantage with a composed finish after a clever pass from captain Wilfred Ndidi. Osimhen then took control of the contest, scoring twice to push his international tally to 31 goals and put the match beyond Gabon’s reach.
The result means Nigeria will face DR Congo at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay El Hassan in a winner-takes-all final. The victor will advance to the six-nation Intercontinental Play-Offs scheduled for March 2026, where two last tickets to the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States will be decided.
DR Congo booked their place in the final with a dramatic 1–0 win over Cameroon, sealed by a stoppage-time goal from captain Chancel Mbemba. The Leopards, whose only World Cup appearance came in 1974 when the nation competed as Zaire, now stand on the brink of a historic return to football’s biggest stage.
Sunday’s clash promises intensity, emotion, and high drama as both sides fight to keep their World Cup dreams alive.