Nigeria legend Oliseh names Super Eagles youngster who outshone Osimhen in Gabon win

Nigeria legend Sunday Oliseh has singled out 20-year-old centre-back Benjamin Fredrick as the Super Eagles’ most influential player in their 4-1 extra-time win over Gabon in Thursday’s FIFA World Cup African playoff semifinal in Rabat.

The match was tense from start to finish. Akor Adams gave Nigeria the lead in the 78th minute, but Gabon hit back almost immediately when Mario Lemina’s deflected strike levelled the score just before added time. Extra time changed the tempo completely. Chidera Ejuke restored Nigeria’s lead with his first goal for the national team before Victor Osimhen struck twice to secure a convincing victory.

Despite Osimhen’s brace dominating global attention, Oliseh pointed to Fredrick as the night’s true standout. The Brentford loanee, currently at Dender FC, showed calmness and maturity beyond his age. He kept Gabon’s star forwards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Bouanga quiet, stayed composed under pressure, and read the game with confidence. His surging late run even created the opening for Osimhen’s first extra-time goal. His assured display was also why head coach Eric Chelle left captain William Troost-Ekong on the bench.

In his reaction on X, Oliseh wrote:

I personally found Benjamin Frédéric to be the most influential player yesterday versus Gabon for SuperEagles… Always well positioned, pacy, decisive and played Simple… Boy it feels great in the morning when Naija do well Sha! Abi i lie?

Nigeria now prepare for Sunday’s playoff final against DR Congo, who shocked Cameroon with a 1-0 stoppage-time win thanks to captain Chancel Mbemba’s finish from a Brian Cipenga corner. The defeat means Cameroon, Africa’s most frequent World Cup participants, will miss the expanded 2026 tournament.

The winner of Sunday’s clash in Rabat will advance to next March’s six-team intercontinental playoff in Mexico, where two final World Cup spots will be decided.