Gabonese captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was sent off after picking up two yellow cards in the 4-3 win over Gambia, where he scored all four goals before the marching orders, but has served his one-game ban against Burundi in the final round of the qualifiers.
Nigeria are expected to face Gabon in the CAF World Cup qualifying play-offs as they look to seal their place at next summer’s global showpiece.
The Super Eagles endured a difficult start to the qualification campaign, taking just three points from their opening four matches. However, a resurgence under Eric Chelle saw them go unbeaten in their final four fixtures, capped by a convincing four-goal rout of Benin on Tuesday. The result secured Nigeria a play-off berth, while South Africa claimed Group C’s automatic qualification spot.
Nigeria will be joined in the play-offs by Cameroon and DR Congo, but Gabon, who have never featured at the World Cup, are their most probable opponent.
Marseille striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, formerly of Chelsea, Arsenal, and Borussia Dortmund, remains the Panthers’ talisman. The 36-year-old’s participation was momentarily in doubt after his dramatic sending-off in Gabon’s 4-3 win over Gambia, where he scored all four goals to become just the seventh player to achieve such a feat in CAF World Cup qualifying.
“It was not quite a perfect outing,” reports noted, after Aubameyang was shown two yellow cards for kicking a corner flag and shoving Alagie Saine.