Osimhen's goals lead Nigeria to World Cup qualifying victory

Victor Osimhen scored both goals for Nigeria in a 2-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali. This win marks Nigeria's first success in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. The striker's goals came in the 11th minute and just before half-time. Ademola Lookman assisted Osimhen's first goal with a free-kick. Osimhen, who plays for Galatasaray on loan from Napoli, showed his skill with a clever chip over Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari for his second goal. This match was a much-needed boost for new coach Eric Chelle, who is the third coach for Nigeria in just five World Cup qualifiers. With this win, Nigeria moved up to fourth place in Group C. They have six points with five matches left. South Africa leads the group with 10 points after a 2-0 win over Lesotho. Benin and Rwanda have eight and seven points, respectively, while Zimbabwe sits at the bottom with three points. Only the nine group winners will secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Nigeria will host Zimbabwe next, while South Africa travels to face Benin. In other matches, Ivory Coast and Ghana both had wins, leading their respective groups. Kenya’s new coach Benni McCarthy plans to make some changes ahead of their upcoming game against Gabon, as his team seeks to improve its position in the standings.