Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman will miss Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash against Benin Republic in Uyo on Tuesday after picking up a yellow card in the team’s 2–1 victory over Lesotho, Bold Sports reports.
The Atalanta winger was cautioned in the 64th minute after reacting to a foul, marking his second consecutive booking in the qualifiers following a previous yellow card against South Africa.
Lookman featured for 71 minutes before being substituted for Samuel Chukwueze as Nigeria secured a vital win through goals from William Troost-Ekong and debutant Akor Adams.
His absence comes as a major blow for head coach Eric Chelle, whose side must defeat Benin Republic to keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive. The Super Eagles currently sit third in Group C with 14 points, trailing Benin (17 points) and South Africa (15 points).
More Read
Benin Republic, led by former Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr, climbed to the top of the group following a 1–0 win over Rwanda in Kigali, a result sealed by Aiyegun Tosin’s late strike. Rohr’s side are now within touching distance of a historic first-ever World Cup appearance and will be looking to seal it with victory in Uyo.
With the stakes at their highest and Lookman ruled out, Chelle will have to reshuffle his attack as Nigeria prepare for a must-win battle that could define their World Cup hopes.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
