Osimhen Opens Up On Missed Chance, Praises Teammates After Super Eagles’ Win Over Gabon

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Galatasaray forward, Victor Osimhen, has opened up on what he told his teammates after missing a late opportunity in Nigeria’s 4–1 victory over Gabon in Thursday’s World Cup qualifying playoff semi-final.

Osimhen had a golden chance to seal the game deep into stoppage time when he broke free with only Gabonese goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba to beat. But with the entire stadium expecting a winner, his effort skewed wide, allowing Gabon a final lifeline that pushed the match into extra time.

Speaking after the game in Rabat, the Super Eagles striker admitted the miss weighed heavily on him.

“Just like today, when I missed that kind of opportunity, I was asking my teammates if we were going straight to penalties or if we had extra time,” he said.

“They told me there was extra time, and I said to them, ‘I’m so sorry. I’m going to correct it.’”

Osimhen lived up to his word. In extra time, the 26-year-old burst into life, scoring twice to put the contest beyond Gabon and fire Nigeria into Sunday’s final against DR Congo.

He also praised his teammates for rallying around him after the momentary setback.

“For me, it’s important to have teammates who motivate you, even when you are the one who usually motivates others,” he said.

“When you are down, they do everything to bring you back up. So for me, kudos to them.”

With confidence restored and his scoring touch intact, Osimhen will now look to carry the momentum into Sunday’s decisive clash as Nigeria push toward qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.