By Daily Sports Nigeria on November 15, 2025

Prolific Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen could be the key figure when the Super Eagles face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday in a fight for 2026 World Cup qualifying survival in Rabat.

The winners of the African play-offs final will advance to a six-nation intercontinental tournament in Mexico in March, involving teams from every football region except Europe.

The losers will bow out of the race to be among the record 48 nations that will feature at the global showpiece co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Nigeria and DR Congo were among four countries handed a second chance to qualify after finishing as the best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups.

In the semi-finals on Thursday, Galatasaray striker Osimhen scored twice in extra time as Nigeria defeated Gabon 4-1, while Chancel Mbemba netted late to give DR Congo a 1-0 victory over Cameroon.

Osimhen, the 2023 African Player of the Year, scored a hat-trick last month in a 4-0 win over Benin that enabled Nigeria to squeeze into the play-offs.

The 26-year-old, who still wears a protective mask after suffering serious facial injuries four years ago, posed a constant threat against Gabon and could have finished with as many as six goals.

On several occasions, he came agonisingly close before, in the final moments of 12 minutes of added time, firing wide with only goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba to beat.

“I was gutted after failing to score from that opportunity. It was a bad miss.

“Sometimes I score amazing goals no one expects, and on other occasions, I miss when people expect me to score.

“I apologised to my teammates after that miss and promised to find the net in extra time, which I did twice,” Osimhen admitted to reporters.

Nigeria has qualified for the World Cup six times in eight attempts since its debut in 1994.

The Super Eagles have never missed back-to-back World Cups since their first appearance and are desperate to atone for a play-off defeat to Ghana that cost them a place at Qatar 2022.

Nigeria is 19 places above DR Congo in the FIFA world rankings and considered favourites in the clash between the Super Eagles and the Leopards, but Ivory Coast-born coach Eric Chelle remains cautious.

“The victory over Gabon means nothing. We now face formidable opponents in DR Congo and, assuming we win, there will be time to celebrate.

“We are trying to create an identity. My players understand what I want and are improving mentally and technically with each international window.

“The key to success over Gabon was passion. It was about working together. We have to rediscover that passion against the Congolese,” added the 48-year-old former Mali coach.

While Nigeria has been a regular World Cup participant, DR Congo’s only appearance came in 1974 when the country, then known as Zaire, was eliminated in the group stage.

French coach Sébastien Desabre has reshaped the talented but often inconsistent Congolese into a more disciplined and combative side, captained by outstanding Lille centre-back Mbemba.

“We have experienced players. What we are putting in place has not happened overnight. We are going to give our all against Nigeria,” Desabre said.

Nigeria has taken part in 16 World Cup qualifying campaigns and DR Congo in 12, but Sunday’s showdown at the 22,000-seat Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium will be their first-ever meeting in the qualifiers.

Bolivia and New Caledonia have already secured places in the intercontinental tournament; Iraq or the UAE will represent Asia, while Jamaica and Panama are frontrunners to claim the two Central American/Caribbean slots.

Source Punch Ng

Posted November 15, 2025

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