Nigeria kicked off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers with a convincing 3-0 victory over Benin Republic, thanks to standout performances from Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen.
The match, held at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, saw the Super Eagles deliver a powerful display under interim coach Augustine Eguavoen.
Ademola Lookman, recently nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, opened the scoring for Nigeria just before halftime, putting the home crowd on their feet.
In the second half, Napoli star Victor Osimhen, who was left out of the starting lineup following a fallout with his club, made an immediate impact after coming on as a substitute. Introduced in the 72nd minute, Osimhen found the back of the net just six minutes later, doubling Nigeria’s lead.
Lookman sealed the victory in the closing moments of the match, scoring his second goal and securing Nigeria’s commanding start to the AFCON 2025 qualifiers as they eye a spot in Morocco for the next edition of the tournament.
