Tag: Rohr

Benin will be hoping to cause an upset against their West African rivals, Senegal, in their third and final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group stage fixture tonight.

The Group D match is scheduled to be played at the Tangier Grand Stadium in Tangier, a city in north-western Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Cheetahs are on cloud nine after securing their first-ever win in the AFCON finals when they overcame Botswana 1-0 on December 27 and the victory also snapped their three-match winless run across all competitions.

Benin find themselves placed third in the Group D standings with three points from two matches, with fourth-placed Botswana having been eliminated and a win over Senegal would earn the West African side a spot in the knockout phase for the first time.

 “We’re happy, it’s a historic victory [over Botswana] because Benin had never won a match in the Africa Cup of Nations in their four appearances. It’s the first one, so we’re very happy,” Benin head coach Gernot Rohr said.

 “It gives us hope if getting out of this tough group before the last match against Senegal. It will obviously be complicated, but my team showed some great things in terms of play, and morale too.”

Senegal, on the other hand, had to show character by fighting back to hold DR Congo to a 1-1 draw on December 27 and the stalemate extended the West African giants’ unbeaten run to three matches across all competitions.

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The Lions of Teranga are occupying the top spot in the Group D standings on goal difference, having accumulated four points from two matches and the 2021 AFCON champions will progress to the Round of 16 if they avoid a defeat against Benin.

 “I don’t think inefficiency is a matter of player selection. Of course, you have to be more clinical in front of goal, and they are aware of that. I have no regrets [after the DR Congo draw],” Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw said.

“This match is over and I’m already focused on the next one against Benin, to win it. Of course, there are things we could have done better (against DR Congo), but the match is behind us. Now we must focus on the next encounter.”

Benin and Senegal have met 10 times across all competitions since their maiden meeting in December 1961.

The Lions of Teranga have dominated this rivalry, winning seven matches compared to the Cheetahs’ one victory and two games ended in a draw.

The last meeting between the two West African nations ended in a 1-0 win in favour of Senegal in an international friendly match at the Stade de la Licorne, Amiens, France, in March 2024.

Cheetahs of Benin Republic head coach Gernot Rohr has named Remo Stars goalkeeper Serge Obassa in his 30-man preliminary squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Obassa is expected to be included in the final squad for the competition.

Saturnin Allagbe and Dandjinou Marcel are the two other goalkeepers on the list.

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Regulars including captain Steve Mounie,  Mohamed Tijani, Verdon Oliver, and Djodel Dosou were included in the squad.

Rohr is expected to prune down the list to 25 next week.

The Cheetahs will set up camp in Ben Slimane, Morocco on Wednesday, 10 December.

Benin are drawn in Group D with Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana.

The West Africans will begin their campaign against the Leopards of Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, December 23.

• By Olamilekan Israel

Franco-German  coach Gernot Rohr has  issued  the Super Eagles  warning  ahead of  their  African  Play-Offs  final match  against the Democratic Republic of Congo  tomorrow in Rabat, Morocco.

While Nigeria  took out Gabon  in sparkling 4-1   semi-finals win on Tuesday, the  DR Congo  edged the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon  to set the stage for Sunday’s  winner-takes-all play-off final for 2026 World Cup pathway at the Stade Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan.

Rohr who led  the Super Eagles to their last World Cup at Russia 2018,said Nigeria must approach tomorrow’s game with caution, adding the DR Congo possess a  strong squad with individually brilliant and physically dominant players.

 He noted that the Congolese side remain dangerous on set pieces, as demonstrated in their most recent matches

Nevertheless, Rohr  who actually  predicted a Nigeria  versus  DR Congo Play-offs final in an interview  with NationSports penultimate Monday,  expressed confidence in the ability of the Super Eagles to advance if they maintain discipline and unity throughout what should be an explosive  encounter.

 “ Of course, Nigeria is the favourite but they must be careful,” said Rohr, the current manager of  The Cheetahs  of Benin Republic.“ Congo has a physically strong team  and are dangerous on set pieces  like they showed against Cameroon  with good physical and mental  strength.

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“ It will be an interesting game  but I think Nigeria will go through because they have  better qualities   collectively .”

Rohr whose  Beninese side will face Burkina Faso in Rabat  in an international  friendly on November 18^th , said he and his  wards will watch Sunday’s Play-Offs finale seriously since  they will  also play  against DR Congo  in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group D  opener on December 23^rd.

 “Of course, we are going to watch the match on Sunday in Rabat  because we are also playing against Burkina Faso  in Rabat on Tuesday,”  he said.“ It’s important for us because we are playing our first game in the AFCON against DR Congo in December.

“But we would see if my prediction that Nigeria would win will  come through just as I ‘d predicted  both teams to win the Play-Offs’  semi-finals ,” he noted.

Coach Gernot Rohr has said Benin No 1 target is to win in Rwanda to stay top of their 2026 World Cup qualifying group, which includes the Super Eagles.

Benin, under former Super Eagles coach Rohr, are now top of Group C of the World Cup qualifiers after South Africa were docked three points and three goals for fielding an ineligible player.

“Our priority is to win our match in Rwanda,” Rohr declared.

Read Also: World Cup 2026 Race: Super Eagles offered lifeline amid ‘ides of October’

We’re doing everything we can to achieve that. Regardless of the results of other matches, we can keep our fate in our own hands. And that’s a real advantage.”

He further said he expects his team to play “like true cheetahs” to achieve this target.

Meanwhile, Rohr will today announce the squad for their final qualifiers against the Super Eagles and Rwanda.

The coach will at 3pm local time name his squad for the crucial final qualifiers.

Benin coach Gernot Rohr has welcomed the FIFA’s decision to open disciplinary proceedings against South Africa FIFA but expressed frustration at the delay.

Bafana Bafana are under scrutiny to field an ineligible player Teboho Mokoena in a 2026 World Cup qualifier.

He said: “This has been dragging on since March. This matter should have been resolved earlier,” Rohr told YOP L-FRII.

“If the rules are strictly applied, with the goal average rule, we would be top of the group, level on points with South Africa but with one more goal.”

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Despite the potential boost, Rohr acknowledged that the Cheetahs still have a mountain to climb in their bid to qualify for the World Cup, including an away trip to Nigeria next month.

“The schedule doesn’t favour us. We still have two difficult away games, including Rwanda, who still have a chance of qualifying.

“Meanwhile, South Africa will play its last two matches at home, with less fatigue and the support of its home crowd. We remain outsiders, but this decision gives us some hope.”

Lesotho did not lodge an appeal within the required timeframe, but FIFA retain the power to act unilaterally.

The 28-year-old should have been serving a one-match suspension after picking up yellow cards against Benin in November 2023 and Zimbabwe in June 2024.

Despite the ban, he was included in the starting lineup against Lesotho on March 21, a match South Africa won 2-0.

German coach faults inequity in Group C

Erstwhile Nigeria’s national team trainer, German  coach Gernot Rohr, said  there shouldn’t  be margin for errors  any longer for any country desirous  to be at the  2026 FIFA World  Cup  with the CAF/African Zone qualifiers now at the home stretch.

Standings in Group C is delicately poised  with South Africa leading with 16 points ( pending three points deduction  for  using an ineligible player ),while Rohr’s Benin are second with 11 points  and Nigeria on 10 points  ahead of today’s  crucial fixtures.

“I think  what is important now  is to be ready to beat everybody if you want to go to the World Cup,” Rohr who led Nigeria to her  last Mundial at Russia 2018, told NationSport.  “For Nigeria, they have to beat South Africa in Bloemfontein  which I think it  is possible; they can do it.”

Rohr who was  two matches (against Ghana) away from securing another  ticket for Nigeria  to Qatar 2022  before  he parted ways with the Nigeria Football Federation NFF), said it would be travesty if some of the current players in the  Super Eagles fail to make it to the 2026 Mundial.

“Nigeria have fantastic players  like  Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman , Alex Iwobi  and the rest and I think these players deserve to go  to the  next World Cup,” Rohr, the former Bayern Munich and Bordeaux defender, told NationSport. “ They should put up with the pressure (against South Africa).”

Meanwhile, the vastly experienced  coach  has faulted  the fixture  arrangements  in Group C  which appeared to have favoured  Bafana Bafana  that have played almost all their qualifiers on their home soil  since  both Lesotho and Zimbabwe have no CAF approved stadium back home.

“There is no equity  in our group,” Rohr further explained.“ South Africa have played almost seven or eight games on their own soil.

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“They have travelled less than the other countries in the group because  Lesotho and Zimbabwe  are both using South Africa as their  home bases .”

“So, it’s a big advantage for South Africa  to be  playing so many matches at ‘home’.”

Rohr is miffed that  FIFA has yet to take action on erring South Africa  who fielded an ineligible Teboho Mokoena  in their 2-0  win against Lesotho in March,  adding such action by the  world soccer ruling body beggar belief.

He said: “Again, there are still three points for them (South Africa)  to lose  but it’s really a big question  why FIFA has not decided  to take off those three points  after South Africa  fielded an ineligible player  against Lesotho.

 “That’s the rule  and they should give the three points and three goals to Lesotho  but I can’t understand why they have not taken action on it.”

Yet the self-styled Franco-Nigerian  admitted that there is  still plenty to play for  in Group C despite the fact  South Africa  are currently dictating the pace heading to the last round of matches in October.

“ Let’s wait till the next two matches in October  because there’s still the second place position to play for  but you need  many points to be among the  four second best  teams  to feature in the play-off which  is also  not easy,” he added.

Rohr Erstwhile Super Eagles coach,  German Gernot Rohr, has described the appointment of his compatriot, Bruno Labbadia by Nigeria  as a welcome development, adding it was indication that  the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) enjoyed the Teutonic style he brought to bear on the team during his spell.

Under the now 71-year-old vastly experienced Rohr, the Super Eagles qualified for the 2019 Africa  Cup of Nations after missing out of the 2015 and 2017 editions. He also qualified Nigeria for the Russia 2018  World Cup  and  was on the verge of seeing the team through qualification to Qatar 2022 before  his marriage with the NFF was abruptly dissolved.  

Since the departure of the  former Bayern Munich defender in December 2021, the Super Eagles have been handled by three coaches  with Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro leading Nigeria  to second place  finish at the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire in between stints of caretaker coach Austin Eguavoen who failed to  beat  Ghana to the 2022 World Cup ticket on top of a Round of 16 exit at AFCON 2021 in Cameroon and Finidi George  who  resigned  after  just two matches in charge as the substantive head after Peseiro  resigned in March 2024.

Against expectations, the NFF in the early hours of Tuesday,   announced Labbadia as the new  Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles.

“Of course, I know him because he was a former Bayern Munich player  and he played for them after me,” Rohr whose Beninese side face the Super Eagles in their Group D 2025 AFCON tine on September 7 in Uyo, told NationSports.“ I wish him all the best  but not against Benin.”

Though many Nigerians  remain sceptical of Labbadia due to his  not too convincing pedigree  after being fired in his last two jobs at Hertha Berlin and Stuttgart, Rohr said the 56-year-old is not an unknown quantity as such.

‘’He is a good coach  but this is the first time  he would be taking  over a national team,” Rohr, one of the current long-serving  foreign tacticians in Africa, further told NationSports.“ I think the NFF took him (Labbadia) because they  had good experience in the past with a German coach (general laughter) with a German coach  and that is why they have taken another one. 

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“We would be meeting very soon. As far as I know, Bruno is a good guy and I say welcome to Africa.’”  

 “We now have three German coaches in our AFCON’s Group D and in fact, we are five because I have two  assistants  with here in Benin that actually have  German passports ; one is from Benin and the other one is a Tunisian but leaving in Germany. So we are five Germans in the AFCON group of four.

“What a crazy  situation,” he added .

• German coach to roll out Cheetah’s list next week

Sequel to their shock 2-1 defeat of Nigeria  in the  FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier  in Abidjan last June, German coach Gernot Rohr is confident that The Cheetahs of Benin would yet again be at the ready when  they face the Super Eagles in their Match Day 1 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification in September.

Both Nigeria and Benin  are drawn in Group D along with   Libya and Rwanda. While  Benin will be  home  to Libya  on Match Day 2, Nigeria will travel to Kigali to face  the Amavubi (The Wasps) of Rwanda.

As the Nigeria  Football  Federation (NFF) dallies over naming a substantive coach for the Super Eagles since Finidi George ‘walked away’,  after that insipid display in June, Rohr, who switched from  Nigeria to manage The Cheetahs, is enthused  about meeting  a somewhat  ’familiar foe’  at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in  Uyo on September 7.  

 “Our preparations  for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Nigeria  and Libya are going well and I’m already in Cotonou  to, first of all, offer support to our two teams playing in the continental  cups,”  Rohr told NationSports.

After overseeing The Cheetahs’ defeat  of the Super Eagles on the eve of his 71^st  birthday last June at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan,  the former  Bayern Munich  defender is equally hopeful about the prospect  of handing  Nigeria the  humble pie in Uyo, adding that the Beninese team will parade a formidable front irrespective  of  their pedigree.

Read Also: Rohr made my Super Eagles’ dream come true, says Okoye

 “We will be happy to play (Nigeria) in Uyo, which is really a fantastic stadium; one of the most beautiful stadia  in Africa,” remarked  the very  experienced Rohr who ensured the Super Eagles qualification  to the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup and Egypt 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. “In fact, I’m happy for Nigeria  that they can play again there (in Uyo)  because we could not play there  for several reasons during my last two years with the Super Eagles.

 “So,  I will be happy to see them there and we will have a fantastic game there despite the fact that some of our players are without clubs  since they are out of contract and waiting for new contracts.

 “Which is not the same scenario with Nigeria, but  we will be ready to present a good team which should be able to make a good match  in Uyo,“ he affirmed.

El Kanemi Warriors must brace up for a stiffer challenge when they face  Dadje FC in the second leg of  their first round tie holding this weekend in Cotonou, following revelations that  erstwhile Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, is rallying  support for the Beninese side.   

Last Friday, both sides played a pulsating 1-1 draw at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne with  El Kanemi Warriors coach, Aliyu Zubairu, claiming  the Maiduguri-based side  was least prepared for the  encounter.

 “It is not good to be using a competition properly to know the weakness of your team,” Zubairu said after the first leg  game.

But unless something is done to improve on their shoddy display at home, El Kanemi  will get a bigger shocker in Cotonou after Rohr said  Dadje FC  are getting the right support ahead of this weekend encounter.  

Read Also: Rohr made my Super Eagles’ dream come true, says Okoye

 “Apart from preparing for the AFCON qualifiers, I’m  here supporting our teams in the continental cups,” Rohr told NationSports in a telephone conversation from  Cotonou. “We have Dadje who already played a 1-1 draw against El-Kanemi Warriors  in Remo last Friday, and we are looking forward  to the second leg game on Sunday,” hinted Rohr who marshalled  the Cheetahs of Benin to beat Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers in Abidjan last June. “I will be supporting them here in Cotonou (for the second leg).

 “We also have a second team, Coton Sport Benin, who  are also playing again here in Cotonou on Sunday against  AS Douanes from Burkina Faso, and they already made a goalless draw in Ouagadougou.

 “We are supporting these teams on one side even as we prepare for the AFCON qualifiers against Nigeria  and Libya in September,” added the former Bordeaux coach.

Incidentally, Dadje FC have on their books some Nigerians that include Abayomi  Olorunshola Ayinla and 

David Chukwudi, hence  the upcoming game against El Kanemi in Cotonou offers a mouth-watering prospect.