Tag: Super Eagles

Reigning African vice-champions Nigeria know they will qualify for the 35^th  Africa Cup of Nations final tournament if they overcome the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign Matchday 5 encounter in Abidjan today.

 This knowledge will inform a feisty approach from the first blast of Senegalese referee Issa Sy’s whistle.

After three wins out of their earlier four games (the only draw being the Matchday 2 session with Rwanda in Kigali), the Super Eagles are riding high with 10 points, four more than second-placed Benin Republic, who suffered a glitch in Kigali in the last round of games. A win virtually guarantees Nigeria’s leadership of the group going into the final-day tussles.

On the other hand, the Cheetahs, with six points, know they cannot afford any more slip-ups following the tumble in Kigali, as they could still be tossed if they lose their last two games and Rwanda, on five, earn a minimum of two points in their own final two. Even Libya, with only one point, can still leap over Benin Republic if they beat Rwanda in Kigali, the Cheetahs are bumped by the Eagles, and the Knights rout the Cheetahs in North Africa on Monday.

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The foregoing dynamics will make for a vicious 90 minutes at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in the heart of the Ivorian capital on Thursday evening.

With England-based centre-back Semi Ajayi absent as a result of injury, Coach Augustine Eguavoen is most likely to start with the rear-guard that squared up to the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in Uyo last month, meaning Captain William Ekong and Calvin Bassey at centre back, with wing-backs Olaoluwa Aina and Bruno Onyemaechi.

Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi and the couple of defensive midfielders Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika are available for the spaces in the middle, while Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Victor Boniface, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar and Kelechi Iheanacho are in the selection pool for the fore.

Victory will render Monday’s concluding qualifier against Rwanda, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, an academic session, with only the visitors keen to try and get something out of the clash while the Eagles play for sheer pride. 

AJ Auxerre defender Gabriel Osho has vowed to do everything in a Super Eagles shirt.

The big central defender was first called up by the Super Eagles in March 2024, when he was in the Premier League with Luton Town, but injury prevented him from honouring the invitation.

He has now been handed a second chance for 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda next week Tuesday.

 “I’ll just work as hard as I can, and I think that’s what the fans expect from every single player here,” the 26-year-old Osho declared on arrival in the Super Eagles camp in Abidjan.

Read Also: AFCON 2025: No mercy for The Cheetahs of  Benin , says Ekong

 “As long as everyone works as hard as they can; everyone is talented enough to be here. So now it’s just applying that and the work ethic. That’s what I got; much hard work, and everything for the shirt.”

England-born Osho said it is a great honour to be called up by highly-talented team like Nigeria.

 “All you have to do is look at the frontline; you see the names of all the players that are here and the ones who could not be selected for the squad this time, the country is full of talented players,” he reasoned.

 “So it’s very competitive to get a call up, and like I said, it’s a great honour for me because I know there are so many great players from Nigeria that aren’t here.”

Coach Gernot Rohr  said he was not oblivious  of the task  before The Cheetahs of Benin  when they  square up against the Super Eagles on Thursday  in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)  Group D’s  Matchday 5  qualifier in Abidjan .

The Super Eagles were 3-0 winner  in their last  confrontation in Uyo on Matchday 3 in September but the  German  who supervised The Cheetah’s shock  2-1  win over their illustrious neighbours  last June in the World Cup 26 qualifiers in Abidjan, is banking on his side’s winning streak  in the Ivorian capital. 

“I’m already in Abidjan, since  few days ago  to prepare our training session and  our camping in the best way. So everything is okay  and we hope to continue our good series here in Abidjan,” Rohr, told NationSport, adding  they  have put behind their last ‘misadventure’ in Uyo.

While 10-point  Group D  leaders, the Super Eagles,  are  mathematically  through to Morocco 2025, Rohr’s Benin with six points must grind positive results against Nigeria  and Libya  to have realistic chance of  making the AFCON party with five-point Rwanda lurking  in the corners.

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“The match against  Nigeria is very important  and we  still remember the lost match in Uyo, which was very bad for us and  spirit of the team,”  Rohr, who qualified  Nigeria  for the 2019 AFCON and Russia  2028 FIFA World  in his spell with the Super Eagles, further told NationSports. “We have to forget the loss in Uyo  and   approach this match  with togetherness  because we need good  result.”

The former Bayern Munich defender yet remains hopeful that  his wards will conduct  themselves  well  against  the attack-loaded  Super Eagles even as he tipped Atalanta  forward, Ademola Lookman, as the  next African Footballer of the Year.

He said:  “We see that in your (Nigeria) list you have  Victor Osimhen, Lookman, Moses Simon and  all the big strikers but   I love these players because most of them were  with me  few years ago.

“ For me, Lookman is the best one in Africa to win the golden award for the footballer of the year, he is a fantastic player.”

 “ But  I hope he will not score against us (on Thursday)  like he did in the last game in Uyo.

“ Rwanda is our concurrent, Nigeria  has already qualified practically and so I hope that the match will be good and spectacular (to watch)  like the last one here in Abidjan against Nigeria in June,” he added. 

Days to Thursday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Benin Republic and  Nigeria , numerous publications in the French speaking West African country are expressing fears  for The Cheetahs.

The initial optimism which followed Benin’s resurgence after Matchday 3 has waned following  the slump on their Matchday 4 away to Rwanda.

In September, The  Cheetahs got a major boost when they massacred Rwanda 3-0 in Abidjan while Nigeria laboured to a late 1-0 win at home against Libya. While expecting to consolidate in matchday 4 a few days later in Kigali, Benin slumped 2-1 despite having a 1-0 lead at half-time.

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Nigeria’s ‘boardroom’win over Libya has complicated Rwanda’s qualification hopes. Though in third place, Rwanda can overtake Benin Republic should  they beat  no hopers, Libya, on Thursday.

That leaves Benin Republic with zero options  than to press for a win  in Thursday’s match with the almost-qualified Super Eagles.

As such, the  local press has put pressure on Gernot Rohr with  Fraternite, condemning the coach’s call-ups for the matches against Nigeria and Libya.

It described it as ‘a  list without surprises… but with questions’.

“The list is worrying and there are enough doubts about the competitiveness of most of the players,” Fraternite claimed. “Indeed, he (Rohr) has remained faithful to his squad for almost two years without almost any new features. However, the expectations of the supporters are high.”

Benin coach Gernot Rohr is pulling all the stops to ensure qualification to the 2025 AFCON and as a result he has named star defender Mohamed Tijani, who missed the Super Eagles clash in Uyo in September due to injury, and drafted more strikers for final qualifying games.

Benin and Rwanda are locked in a fierce duel for the other AFCON ticket in Group D.

The Cheetahs of Benin are second in the group with six points, while Rwanda are a point behind in third place.

The team of former Eagles coach Rohr therefore need results in their remaining matches against Nigeria at home and the away game in Libya.

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Big central defender Mohamed Tijani was a major absentee for the Cheetahs of Benin in Uyo against Nigeria after he played a big role in Benin recording a famous 2-1 win over the Super Eagles in 2026 World Cup qualifying in June.

He also stood out in his team’s last AFCON qualifier in Rwanda last month.

Injury forced him out of the game in the second half and that allowed Rwanda to draw level and go on to win the match.

The Libyan Authorities prevented the aircraft carrying the Super Eagles from landing at their intended destination in Benghazi.
The Libya Football Federation are preparing to launch an appeal to CAF for the punishment meted out to them after they delayed the Super Eagles players and staff for over fourteen hours at the airport, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Libyans travelled to Nigeria for the first leg of their AFCON 2025 qualifiers against the Super Eagles and lost to Augustine Eguavoen’s team at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, courtesy of a late Fisayo Ayodele-Bashiru strike.

Read Also: AFCONQ: NFF beat CAF deadline, push for Libya’s punishment

Two days later, the Super Eagles travelled to Libya for the return leg, but had their flight diverted away from their intended destination by Libyan Authorities. They ended up landing at another airport, 300km away from the Benghazi Benina area.
Southampton had a terrific chance to level right before the break when Cameron Archer was one-on-one with keeper Éderson — with Saints boss Russell Martin already raising his hands in celebration — but the forward smashed his shot against the bar.

Nigeria has moved up three places in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking released yesterday by the world football governing body.

The Super Eagles are now 36^th  (from 39^th ) thanks to their impressive performances in recent 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Argentina remain at the summit, but their lead over France and Spain has narrowed. The top six teams remain unchanged, with England, Brazil, and Belgium holding onto their positions. Portugal and Italy made incremental gains, rising to seventh and ninth, respectively. Germany’s upward trajectory continues, now sitting just outside the top ten.

Read Also: FIFA Ranking: Super Eagles move up by 3 spots, now world 36th

Apart from Nigeria, notable climbers in Africa include Algeria (37^th , up 4), Peru (38^th , up 5), Greece (42^nd ,up 6), and Cameroon (49^th , up 4). Others are Equatorial Guinea (88^th , up 6), Zimbabwe (117^th , up 7), The Gambia (128^th , up 7), and Botswana (140^th , up 7) made significant strides. Botswana’s 38.30-point jump was the largest overall.

Meanwhile, Comoros reached its highest-ever ranking position (108th) after climbing ten places, alongside Sudan (110^th ).

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on November 28, 2024.