Benin vs. Nigeria Preview: Super Eagles eye AFCON qualification in Abidjan

Nigeria’s Super Eagles are on the brink of securing their place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, needing only a single point from their much-anticipated match against Benin at Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on Thursday. This is because Benin do not have any CAF-accredited stadium.

The Super Eagles’ qualifying journey has been fraught with challenges, including an unusual incident in Libya where they were stranded at the airport for almost 12 hours without access to food, water, or the internet. Despite the setback, CAF ultimately awarded them maximum points.

This decision helped Nigeria solidify their place at the top of Group D with 10 points.

Benin, meanwhile, sit in second place with six points and recognise the importance of securing maximum points to bolster their dwindling qualification hopes. A win would significantly enhance their chances of joining Africa’s elite in Morocco.

However, anything short of victory could see Benin drop to third place, heading into the final game against Libya if Rwanda secures maximum points against the Mediterranean Knights.

Historically, Nigeria has dominated this fixture, winning seven of their nine previous meetings and 12 of the overall 18 head-to-head clashes.

However, Benin claimed a 2-1 victory in their last home encounter, a June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. The Cheetahs will draw inspiration from that triumph and seek to replicate it.

What they said

Benin captain Steve Mounie expressed optimism about his team’s chances, citing their past success. “I remember that in June, I gave them the example of my former club. When I was with Stade Brest, we were able to stand up to big teams in the French championship. I told them that we could do the same thing against Nigeria. We are capable of looking them in the eye. That’s what we will have to do tomorrow (Thursday)–be actors in this match and not just spectators.”

Gernot Rohr, Benin’s coach, acknowledged the difficulty of beating Nigeria again. “In June, Nigeria was not at full strength. Now they are. The only player missing is Ajayi, who is injured. We know they are the favourites, and it will take a feat to beat them again.”

Rohr emphasised the importance of organisation and defensive solidity. “If we are in a good place, if we manage to develop our football as we have been doing for about a year and a half, I believe we can put them in danger.”

Super Eagles interim coach Augustine Eguavoen is also ready for the task ahead and has promised his players will score maximum points, even though a solitary point is enough for them to qualify for next year’s AFCON tournament in Morocco.

“We’ll fight for every ball and for every point, and that’s what we want to do tomorrow (today),” he told the Super Eagles media.

“In respect to that, Benin is not a pushover, but we will work hard to make sure we achieve our objective,” he added.

Head-to-head [Last 5 matches]

19 Aug 2017 Nigeria 2-0 Benin

13 Nov 2019 Nigeria 2-1 Benin

27 Mar 2021 Benin 0-1 Nigeria

10 Jun 2024 Benin 2-1 Nigeria

07 Sep 2024 Nigeria 3-0 Benin

READ ALSO: Super Eagles trio nominated for prestigious CAF Awards 2024

Team News

Nigeria welcomes back key players Victor Osimhen, who missed the last international window because of injury, and Sadiq Umar, who returns from a lengthy ACL injury. However, they are without Semi Ajayi, who is sidelined with a muscle injury, and Olisa Ndah.

Benin may be without forward Matteo Ahlinvi because of injury, but Augsburg’s Steve Mounie and Grenoble’s Junior Olaitan are expected to lead the attack. Mounie, who scored the winning goal in Benin’s last home victory over Nigeria, will be a key figure.

The encounter promises to be intense, with Nigeria seeking to seal their qualification and Benin fighting to keep their hopes alive. This will be the 12th competitive meeting between the two teams.

Probable Lineups:

Benin: Dandjinou; Moumini, Hountondji, Tijani, Roche; D’Almeida, Imourane, Dossou; Dodo, Olaitan, Mounie

Nigeria: Nwabali; Aina, Troost-Ekong, Bassey, Onyemaechi; Ndidi, Onyeka; Iwobi; Simon, Lookman, Osimhen