Nigeria and Gabon clash in the CAF playoff semifinal tie at the Moulay Hassan Stadium, with the winner of the tie going ahead to face the winner of the other semifinal tie between Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The four nations booked their spots as the best-ranked second-placed finish after the end of the group stages, with the FIFA rankings for October determining the order of the draw.
Nigeria initially looked set to miss out on a place in the 2026 World Cup after a poor start to their qualifying campaign, but the arrival of Eric Chelle as head coach in January helped turn the tide in their favor.
The three-time African champions won four of their final six group matches and missed out on finishing top of the group with just one point.
Ahead of the clash against Gabon on Thursday, SportPremi highlights five players that could give Nigeria an advantage in the tie;
Victor Osimhen
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen remains Nigeria’s most important player and proved his worth once more with a remarkable hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Benin Republic last month.
The 26-year-old singlehandedly dragged the Super Eagles into the playoffs and will be eyeing another brilliant outing against the Panthers in the must-win clash.
Osimhen offers threat from aerial positions and his pace can make him a handful for Gabon defenders.
Ademola Lookman
Reigning African footballer of the year award winner Ademola Lookman is also another important player to watch in Thursday’s clash.
The winger has struggled for match fitness and form this season and missed the 4-0 win over Benin Republic with injury.
However, he will be expected back in the team for the must-win clash against Gabon and will be hoping to showcase his ‘big-game’ mentality once more.
Maduka Okoye
Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye earned a recall to the national team after recently returning from a betting suspension.
The goalkeeper was previously Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper, but lost his spot to Stanley Nwabali ahead of the 2024 African Cup of Nations.
Okoye could earn a shock starting spot in the team against Gabon, particularly with Nwabali looking shaky in the Super Eagles win over both Lesotho and Benin Republic.
Benjamin Fredrick
Young defender Benjamin Fredrick has become a key member of the Nigerian team since making his competitive debut in September.
The 20-year-old has played every match since then and even got the nod to start ahead of experienced defender and captain William Troost-Ekong.
Fredrick has delivered assured and composed performances in defense and will be expected to lead the backline against the threat of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and co.
Akor Adams
Sevilla striker Akor Adams announced himself to the big stage with the winner on his debut in Nigeria’s 2-1 win over Lesotho in September.
The youngster was calm in the game and showed signs of great understanding with Victor Osimhen.
He could also come in to play a key role especially if Nigeria are struggling to break down the Gabon defense.
