Victor Osimhen secures Nigeria's 2025 AFCON spot as Galatasaray applaud

In a tense 2025 AFCON qualifier, Nigeria had trailed Benin after Mohamed Tijani's first-half strike put the hosts ahead.

Despite Nigeria's control of possession and numerous attempts on goal, they struggled to break through Benin's strong defence, creating mounting pressure in the final moments. But Osimhen stepped up just in time.

Rising to meet a well-placed cross from Simon Moses, Osimhen directed a powerful header into the net, equalising the score and sealing the point Nigeria needed to qualify for the tournament in Morocco.

After the match, Galatasaray, known for their historic 2000 UEFA Cup triumph, celebrated Osimhen's heroics on social media, posting on their official X account:

"Congratulations to Victor Osimhen who scored the only goal for Nigeria in the 1-1 draw with Benin in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, securing their qualification from the group stage."

With 11 points in the group, Nigeria's draw guaranteed their place in the AFCON finals, with just one qualifying game against Rwanda remaining.

As the 2013 AFCON champions, Nigeria now look forward to finishing their campaign on a strong note when they face Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on 18 November at 18h00.

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