Super Eagles ease to opening Afcon qualifiers win

Nigeria eased to a 3-0 win over Benin at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Saturday evening to begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification campaign on the front foot.

Star forwards Ademola Lookman (two) and Victor Osimhen shared the goals, as the Super Eagles went to the top of Group D on three points. Rwanda and Libya have a point each after their draw, while the Cheetahs complete the quartet with zero points.

Nigeria started the stronger of the two teams and missed out on a couple of good chances in the opening quarter hour, with Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman both failing to trouble Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou.

The Cheetahs’ No 1 was finally forced into a notable save in the 27th minute, turning away a shot direct from a free kick by Chukwueze.

The Super Eagles broke the deadlock in injury time at the end of the first half through Lookman, who cut past two defenders and fired an unstoppable shot beyond the reach of Dandjinou.

Early in the second half the Atalanta forward had a great opportunity to double the advantage for the hosts, but he was unable to convert in his attempt to round the goalkeeper and finish.

On 64 minutes Benin should have drawn level through veteran striker Steve Mounie, but he fired his shot straight into the arms of Nwabali to let Nigeria’s defence off the hook.

And the hosts were able to kill off the game with a second and third goal, as substitute Victor Osimhen fired home from Wilfried Ndidi’s assist to make it 2-0 in the 78th minute, and Lookman completed his brace with a fine finish from Moses Simon’s pass in the 83rd minute.

The teams will return to Group D action on Tuesday 10 September, with Nigeria away to Rwanda in Kigali and Benin hosting Libya in neutral Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

NIGERIA (1) 3 (Lookman 45+2’, 83’, Osimhen 78’)

BENIN 0

NIGERIA: Nwabali, Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Bassey (Ndah 63’), Aina, Iwobi (Dele-Bashiru 64’), Ndidi (Onyedika 80’), Onyemaechi, Chukwueze (Simon 63’), Lookman, Boniface (Osimhen 72’)

BENIN: Dandjinou, Moumini, C. Hountondji, Verdon, Kiki, D’Almeida (Dossou 67’), Tosin (A. Hountondji 78’), Dodo, Imourane, Olaitan (Ahouangbo 82’), Mounie