‘We promised ourselves to fight’ - Osimhen's close friend reacts to heartbreaking 4-1 loss to Nigeria Super Eagles

A disappointed close friend of Victor Osimhen reflects on Gabon’s 4–1 loss to Nigeria, revealing the squad promised themselves to fight despite the heartbreaking defeat.

Mario Lemina, Gabonese midfielder and close friend of Victor Osimhen, has spoken out after Gabon’s painful 4-1 loss to the Super Eagles in the 2026 African World Cup qualifier playoffs.

Lemina featured for 100 minutes before he was substituted as Gabon’s first-ever World Cup dream was ended in brutal style by the Super Eagles in Rabat on Thursday evening.

Despite scoring a goal against his Galatasaray teammate Osimhen, Lemina’s strike was only a consolation in a match that saw Nigeria dominate from start to finish.

Lemina’s goal briefly gave the Panthers hope, but Nigeria’s clinical finishing, led by Osimhen’s brace, eventually secured a comfortable victory in the end and set up a final clash with DR Congo.

Following the defeat, Lemina took to social media to express a mix of emotions, rage, disappointment, and pride.

He revealed that the Gabon team had promised themselves to fight until the very end for their national jersey, showing their commitment and passion despite the outcome.

“A mix of emotions between rage, disappointment, and pride,” Lemina wrote. “We had promised ourselves to fight to the end for this jersey, but it wasn’t enough.”

“Let’s use this experience to progress and move forward stronger toward our goals. Proud of you guys. Thank you,” he added.

His heartfelt message shows the pain of the huge defeat but also the resilience and determination within the Gabon squad to learn and come back stronger.

For Osimhen, who has quickly switched to the final against DR Congo, it was a bittersweet moment, victory on the field, but a reminder of the close relationships and respect between competitors on both teams.