The Nigerian football team faced off against Benin Republic in Abidjan in a must-win 2026 World Cup Qualifying match. They entered the match knowing that securing three points was vital to their qualification hopes. However, the Super Eagles slumped to a humiliating 2-1 defeat at the hands of their former coach, Gernot Rohr.
The Super Eagles took the lead in the 27th minute through Raphael Onyedika, who grabbed his maiden international goal with a calm finish inside the box after being teed up by Samuel Chukwueze. A slip-up by the Nigerian defence allowed the Cheetahs to equalize through Jodel Doussou in the 37th minute. Calvin Bassey should have done better.
Benin piled on Nigeria’s misery, grabbing the lead just before the break, through Steve Mounié. Another defensive error from the Eagles, failing to clear the ball after a corner, allowed Benin to take a well-deserved lead. Coach Finidi George made several substitutions to turn things around for the Eagles, but the Cheetahs put in a solid defensive display to thwart the Nigerian team. Benin nearly grabbed a third in the 67th minute, but it was cleared at the last minute.
It was another abysmal performance that raises many questions about the credentials of newly appointed head coach Finidi George in managing the national team. The team remains fifth in the table with 3 points from 4 games, while Benin moved to the top of the table with 7 points. The West African team failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, and things aren’t looking good for them at this point. There are still six matches left to play, and the Super Eagles still have a slim chance of qualifying as group winners or as one of the four second-placed teams that will contest in the playoffs. Time will tell if they’ll be called The Super Eagles or The Super Chickens.