Osimhen hat-trick sends Nigeria to playoffs as South Africa reach World Cup

South Africa publication their spot astatine the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arsenic Nigeria are pushed into CAF playoffs contempt beating Benin.

South Africa became the latest African federation to suffice for the 2026 World Cup aft beating Rwanda 3-0 to apical its qualifying group, with Nigeria forced to settee for 2nd spot – and the playoffs – contempt a Victor Osimhen hat-trick against Benin.

South Africa were docked 3 points by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for fielding an ineligible subordinate successful earlier games successful the qualifying stages, but recovered to assertion apical spot from Benin, who were beaten 4-0 successful Nigeria to yet decorativeness 3rd arsenic the radical was settled connected Tuesday.

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The Super Eagles, who trailed Benin by 3 points going into the lucifer and needed to overturn a shortage of 2 connected extremity difference, had a two-goal pb astatine the interruption astatine Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Nigeria acknowledgment to Osimhen.

The Galatasaray striker, who was 1 of the astir sought-after talents by Europe’s nine teams past summer, completed his hat-trick six minutes into the 2nd half. But Nigerian nerves were not settled until Frank Onyeka’s injury-time strike.

Nigeria volition present person to suffice done the CAF playoffs with the 3 different champion second-placed sides successful the 9 first-round qualifying groups.

Those champion runners-up volition play successful a semifinal-final format, with the winners competing successful a FIFA interconfederation playoff for a imaginable 10th African World Cup spot. The 2nd circular of CAF qualifying to scope that signifier volition instrumentality spot November 10-18.

South Africa’s triumph means it volition beryllium the team’s archetypal quality astatine a World Cup since qualifying automatically arsenic the big successful 2010.

Thalente Mbatha and Oswin Appollis gave Bafana Bafana a two-goal cushion by the 12th infinitesimal of their lucifer against already-eliminated Rwanda successful Mbombela earlier Evidence Makgopa added the 3rd successful the 2nd half.

The 2026 World Cup finals instrumentality spot successful United States, Canada and Mexico.