November 13, (THEWILL) – The stage is set for a tantalising Africa Cup of Nations qualifier as Benin Republic hosts Nigeria at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Thursday.
The Super Eagles currently sit atop Group D with 10 points, four ahead of their closest rivals Benin.
A point in this encounter would secure Nigeria’s spot in the 2025 AFCON tournament, but the West Africans will be determined to claim all three points and solidify their qualification hopes.
Benin, commonly known as the Cheetahs, have enjoyed a strong qualifying campaign so far, bouncing back from an opening defeat against Nigeria to record victories over Libya and Rwanda.
However, they suffered a setback in their previous match, losing 2-1 to Rwanda. A win against the Super Eagles would propel Benin into pole position to qualify for the continental showpiece.
The reverse fixture between these two sides back in September saw Nigeria emerge victorious, securing a comfortable 3-0 win thanks to a brace from 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year nominee Ademola Lookman and a goal from reigning CAF Men’s Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen.
The Cheetahs, though, will take heart from their 2-1 triumph over the Super Eagles in a World Cup qualifier back in June.
Nigeria will welcome the return of Osimhen and Sadiq Umar to Eguaveon’s squad, while Benin may be without the services of Matteo Ahlinvi, who picked up an injury in a recent club match.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
