Nigeria may have powered into Sunday’s African playoff final with a 4-1 extra-time win over Gabon, but anyone who watched the two-hour marathon in Rabat will know the scoreline was a bit flattering.
It was thrilling, dramatic and ultimately emphatic, yet there was also a warning tucked somewhere inside. The Super Eagles are far from the finished product, and with the Democratic Republic of Congo waiting, there is plenty of work to be done.
The victory extended Nigeria’s scoring streak to eight goals in two matches after the 4-0 demolition of Benin in Uyo last month.
On paper, this is an attack humming at the right time. On the pitch, however, the Super Eagles are still struggling with consistency, structure and concentration; the kind of details that decide who goes to a World Cup and who watches it on television.
Nigeria: A win that papered over cracks
Eric Chelle’s men deserved their win, no doubt. They created a host of openings in the first half, moved the ball with purpose and showed the sort of attacking swagger expected from a team now just two matches away from the 2026 Mundial. But the warning signs were blinking.
Preparation for the Gabon clash was hardly ideal. The Super Eagles refused to train on Tuesday over unpaid bonuses, meaning the squad had just one full training session before the semi-final. That lack of rhythm became painfully clear as soon as the second half kicked off. Legs grew heavy, the press evaporated, and Gabon began to dictate the tempo.
Even the opening goal came more from Gabon’s charity than Nigeria’s craft; Akor Adams pouncing on a misplaced backpass before rounding the goalkeeper. Up to that point, Gabon had enjoyed the upper hand.
And it was no shock when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Denis Bouanga and company finally found joy through Mario Lemina’s 89th-minute equaliser, a goal rooted in lapses of concentration rather than Gabonese brilliance.
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Defensive discipline still a major concern
Chelle has admitted that his side must step up their game to conquer DR Congo, and nowhere is that truer than in defence.
This was a new backline – Bright Osayi-Samuel, Benjamin Fredrick, Calvin Bassey and Zaidu Sanusi playing together for the first time – and it showed. Defensive chemistry does not materialise overnight, and the Super Eagles were caught napping a few times, with the full-backs guilty on more than one occasion.
Osayi-Samuel endured an especially erratic evening. He conceded what looked like a legitimate penalty after a shirt-pull, only to be bailed out when VAR’s review was overruled. Minutes later, he was left exposed again after Chidera Ejuke failed to track back, sparking the move that led to Gabon’s equaliser.
These are not isolated errors; they are structural issues that must be fixed before Sunday or DR Congo will gladly cash in.
To Chelle’s credit, he refused to throw his defenders under the bus.
“The defensive discipline? This is football,” he said. “If there’s no little mistake about the position, there’s no goal… Bright, Benjamin, Calvin and Zaidu — they played well. The team was strong in defence, but we can improve every time.”
He is right about improvement. Against DR Congo, improvement is not optional; it is non-negotiable.
DR Congo: A real threat, not an underdog
The Leopards’ 1-0 win over Cameroon was no fluke. This is one of the most organised and physically imposing teams on the continent, a side that reached the AFCON semifinals like Nigeria and openly believes it is destined for a historic return to the World Cup after their only appearance in 1974.
Against Cameroon, DR Congo were compact, disciplined, and ruthless when it mattered.
They are well coached. They do not give free gifts. They do not switch off. And they certainly will not forgive the sort of lapses that nearly haunted Nigeria on Thursday night.
A shambolic performance will not survive against a team this sharp.
No margin for error on Sunday
The Super Eagles have earned the right to dream, but the reality is unavoidable: they must be sharper, faster, more cohesive and more focused on Sunday.
The attack is blossoming, but the transition defence is brittle. The midfield is dynamic, but the structure is inconsistent. Their mentality is strong, but their preparation remains fragile.
This team can beat DR Congo, but only if they elevate every aspect of their game. The path to the World Cup is becoming clearer. And for Nigeria, the margin for error is officially zero.