The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to battle the Benin Republic for a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when the two teams meet on Thursday in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. This will be their third encounter in just six months, as they both fight to secure their automatic qualification for the tournament in Morocco.
Having triumphed 3-0 in the first leg at home in Uyo, the Super Eagles are now traveling to the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the Benin Republic’s adopted home ground. With a win, Nigeria can confirm their place in the tournament, but a draw will also suffice.
However, they are keen to avoid a repeat of their 2-1 loss to the Cheetahs at the same venue back in June during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria leads Group D with 10 points, while Benin Republic sits in second place with 6 points. For Benin, only a win will keep their hopes alive for a second automatic spot, as they are already under pressure with two games remaining. This makes the match highly competitive, and Senegalese referee Issa Sy will oversee the game.
The Super Eagles have been in strong form under coach Austin Eguavoen, winning three out of four games without conceding a goal. They are prepared for the challenge, with players like William Troost-Ekong, who missed the June loss, expressing confidence in their ability to perform.
“The stadium is familiar territory. We’ve had good results here before, but we’re focused on avenging our last loss to Benin and securing the win,” said Troost-Ekong, the 2023 AFCON MVP.
On the other side, Benin’s coach, former Nigerian coach Genort Rohr, acknowledges the challenge of facing a fully-strengthened Super Eagles squad. “Repeating the feat of June is going to be complicated because Nigeria is now at full strength, but we believe in ourselves,” Rohr said, although he will be missing key players Cedric and Olivier.
With a full squad to choose from, Coach Eguavoen is likely to field the same lineup that played against Libya in the previous match, with defenders William Ekong and Calvin Bassey leading the defense. Midfielders such as Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru will aim to control the game, while forwards like Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon are expected to provide the attacking threat.
The match kicks off at 8:00 pm Nigerian time, and it promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams fight for a place in the prestigious AFCON tournament.
