Benin Republic head coach Gernot Rohr was full of praise for Victor Osimhen following his world-class performance for the Super Eagles in their final FIFA World Cup qualifier.

The Galatasaray striker delivered a stellar performance against the Cheetahs, helping Nigeria secure a playoff spot while denying Benin their first-ever World Cup appearance.

The 26-year-old opened the scoring just three minutes into the game, before giving Eric Chelle’s side a two-goal cushion in the 37th minute.

The former African Footballer of the Year completed his hat-trick six minutes after the restart, before Frank Onyeka added a fourth goal in stoppage time to seal a comprehensive victory for the three-time African champions.

In his post-match reaction, Rohr acknowledged Osimhen’s brilliance and reflected on their shared history, noting that he had given the striker his first national team call-up at the age of 17.

“We tried, but when you have such a good player like Osimhen,” Rohr said at his post-match interview.

“I remember when I brought Osimhen into the team—he was 17—here in our first game against Tanzania, and he was already in our selection.

“So, I am very happy to see him like that, but I’m not happy he did it against me. But I hope he can do it in the playoffs for your country, which I love.”

The Super Eagles will now face Gabon in the semifinals of the African playoffs on November 13 in Morocco, before potentially facing either Cameroon or DR Congo in the final.

WDN