Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, says he is confident Nigeria can keep Gabon’s star forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, in check when both sides meet in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup African playoffs on Thursday in Morocco.

Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and DR Congo reached this stage as the best second-placed teams from the qualifying rounds. The two winners from Thursday’s fixtures will meet in Sunday’s final, with the overall victor moving on to the intercontinental playoffs set for March 2026 in Mexico.

Speaking ahead of the game, Troost-Ekong acknowledged Aubameyang’s quality but said the Super Eagles are ready for the challenge.

“Gabon is a strong team. Aubameyang continues to lead from the front, causing problems for defenders. I’ve played against him in Saudi Arabia, and I know what he brings. In Africa, you can’t underestimate any team, and we certainly won’t do that with Gabon,” the Nigerian captain told Olympic Channel.

Aubameyang, 36, remains Gabon’s biggest threat, having scored seven goals in five qualifying matches. The experienced forward, who previously played for Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, now represents Olympique Marseille in the French Ligue 1.

Naija News reports that the journey to this stage hasn’t been smooth for Nigeria. Troost-Ekong admitted the team was frustrated by its earlier struggles but praised the group’s determination to recover.

“We were disappointed not to qualify directly. The first five rounds were tough, and we had to play catch-up. But reaching the playoffs is still a significant achievement,” he said.

History slightly favours Nigeria in this fixture. Out of nine previous meetings between the two nations, the Super Eagles have won five and drawn three. Gabon’s only win came in a 2-1 victory on June 25, 1989, a result that famously denied Nigeria a place at the Italia ’90 World Cup after they failed to secure a needed draw against Cameroon in Yaoundé.

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