Nigeria, Oct. 15 -- On a warm Tuesday evening at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, the Nigeria national football team delivered their most complete performance of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers: a ruthless 4-0 demolition of the Benin national football team.

Victor Osimhen stole the show with a hat-trick, and Frank Onyeka added a late fourth to cap a night of dominance.

Yet even amid the celebrations, there was an unmistakable sting: South Africa's 3-0 win over the Rwanda national football team in Mbombela meant Nigeria finished second in Group C, missing out on automatic qualification by a single point.

The Super Eagles will now take the longer, more dangerous route to the World Cup: the playoffs. But this was a performan...