Johannesburg: South Africa will return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010 after narrowly claiming the top spot in their qualifying group ahead of Nigeria and Benin.
According to BBC, Benin, aspiring for their first-ever World Cup appearance, began the last round of matches leading Group C, with a two-point advantage over South Africa and three points ahead of Nigeria. However, Benin's hopes were dashed when they suffered a 4-0 defeat in Uyo, with Victor Osimhen scoring a hat-trick for Nigeria, causing Benin to drop to third place below Nigeria on goal difference.
Despite a 3-0 forfeit imposed by FIFA for fielding an ineligible player in their match against Lesotho in March, South Africa managed to secure their qualification. This decision initially saw Bafana Bafana drop to second place, trailing Benin on goal difference before the final two rounds of preliminaries. South Africa's failure to beat the bottom team Zimbabwe in a nominal away game in Durban complicated matters, but Benin's defeat in the West African derby revived their chances.
Africa's final two automatic qualifying spots will be contested by either Senegal or DR Congo from Group B and Ivory Coast or Gabon from Group F. These decisions are expected later on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Nigeria still retains the possibility of reaching the World Cup through an arduous route involving potentially four additional matches.
Victory secured Nigeria a place in next month's African play-offs, with the winner advancing to FIFA's final six-team inter-continental qualifier scheduled for March. These games will determine the last two qualifiers for the expanded 48-team World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Osimhen played a crucial role for Nigeria's Super Eagles, providing a glimmer of hope amid concerns about missing a second consecutive World Cup. Despite frequent changes in coaching and a talented squad, Nigeria struggled without Osimhen, failing to win any of the five games he missed due to injury. Under Jose Peseiro and later Finidi George, the team experienced mixed results, with Eric Chelle taking over in January and securing some victories.
Osimhen's return proved pivotal, especially in the match against Benin. The striker's clinical finishing made the difference, with goals in the third minute, eight minutes before the break, and a stunning diving header in the 51st minute. Frank Onyeka's stoppage-time goal sealed Nigeria's 4-0 victory and confirmed their play-off spot.
Ensuring Osimhen's fitness for the upcoming continental play-offs will be vital if Nigeria is to secure their place in next year's World Cup finals.