Lookman and Osimhen inspire Nigeria’s 3-0 triumph over Benin in AFCON qualifier

Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen stole the spotlight as Nigeria cruised to a 3-0 win over Benin Republic in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

Nigeria asserted their dominance early, with Lookman netting the opener in the first half, followed by a stunning goal from Osimhen to extend the lead.

Lookman capped off a brilliant performance with his second goal, securing an emphatic victory for the Super Eagles.

Lookman opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, demonstrating clinical composure in front of goal.

Benin’s defense struggled to cope with Nigeria’s relentless attack, as Osimhen doubled the lead with a magnificent solo effort in the 55th minute, sending the crowd into raptures with his trademark finishing.

The Cheetahs of Benin could not mount a response, and Lookman sealed the win with his second goal in the 78th minute, cementing Nigeria’s control of the match.

The Super Eagles comfortably held onto their clean sheet and earned a crucial three points.

Cameroon 1-0 Namibia

In another AFCON qualifier, Cameroon secured a 1-0 victory over Namibia, thanks to Vincent Aboubakar’s decisive goal in Garoua.

The Indomitable Lions faced stiff resistance from Namibia, but Aboubakar broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Bryan Mbeumo’s shot was saved.

Both teams created further chances, but the score remained 1-0, giving Cameroon a positive start to their campaign.

Peter Shalulile came close for Namibia, forcing a save from Andre Onana, while Aboubakar missed a late chance to double the lead. Namibia’s Deon Hotto also had a last-minute opportunity but couldn’t convert, leaving Cameroon to secure the win.

Mauritania 1-0 Botswana

Meanwhile, in Nouakchott, Mauritania snatched a 1-0 victory over Botswana in the dying moments of the game.

Sidi Amar’s 84th-minute strike handed Mauritania a hard-fought win to kick off their AFCON qualifying journey.

The match was a tactical battle, with Mauritania enjoying most of the possession but finding it difficult to break through Botswana’s resilient defense.

Finally, Beyatt Lekoueiry provided the assist, allowing Amar to fire a powerful shot into the top corner. Botswana was unable to respond, and Mauritania claimed all three points, boosting their early qualifying hopes.