Super Eagles: 3 things we learnt as Nigeria humble Gabon to inch closer to 2026 World Cup

They needed extra time, but the Super Eagles eventually asserted their quality in defeating Gabon in Rabat on Thursday. Goals from Akor Adams, Chidera Ejuke, and Victor Osimhen put paid to the Panthers’ ambitions, and kept alive Nigeria’s hopes of progress to next summer’s World Cup. 

Beyond the result, however, there was much to glean from the proceedings, with the momentum shifting back and forth through the evening. Here are three of the main takeaways from a wild, rainy night.

Benjamin Fredrick is generational

The obvious caveat here is that Benjamin Fredrick is a  20-year-old who has played fewer than 15 senior professional matches in his entire career. This means that, in assessing the Super Eagles youngster, there is an unconscious desire to protect him somewhat. The problem with that, however, is that the centre-back keeps rising to every occasion and holding his own against every opponent. In doing so, he is making it clear that he does not need the protection.

The latest striker in the Fredrick penitentiary is no less than former CAF Player of the Year, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. To be clear, this is the same Aubameyang who has ravaged defences in England, Germany and Spain, to name a few, starring for the likes of Arsenal, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund. It seemed certain this would be Fredrick’s sternest examination yet, but he not only passed it with the sort of nervelessness that one could not help but  laugh at, he also sauntered upfield to register an assist.

We are witnessing the birth of a truly special footballer.

Eric Chelle has not abandoned his diamond yet

When the Super Eagles starting lineup for the match was revealed, it appeared somewhat unbalanced for the 4-4-2 shape that Eric Chelle has opted for lately. Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman are, at heart, different in their mentalities and approaches to wing play, and it seemed the inclusion of the Atalanta man would cause the Super Eagles problems both with and without the ball. 

What we got instead was a return to the midfield diamond, with Lookman tucked in behind the front two, and Samuel Chukwueze in the inside right channel. The upshot of this was  that the Super Eagles were able to overload the middle, and proceeded to utterly dominate the first half with central combinations.

Far from departing from his preferred shape, it is clear Chelle is keen to revert to it at the earliest convenience.

Akor Adams proves talent is not enough

Two goals in three Super Eagles appearances so far for Akor Adams. It is impossible to not be pleased for the Sevilla man, who has endured a hard road to arrive at this point. Despite being a part of one of Nigeria’s most reviled Under-20 sides in recent memory, and despite having his debut delayed multiple times through injury, the 25-year-old has arrived and is thriving.

It should have been Victor Boniface. It is pretty clear that, purely from a talent perspective, the Werder Bremen man is the superior of the two, and he even enjoys a better off-field relationship with Victor Osimhen. In spite of this, it has never quite stuck for Boniface with the Super Eagles – his lack of urgency and directness with the ball meaning he has mostly looked ponderous.

By contrast, Adams, with a fraction of the talent, has seized the opportunity with both hands.