The Super Eagles of Nigeria will begin their quest for a spot at 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Saturday with a must win clash with against West African neighbours Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

Under caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen, the Super Eagles would be seeking vengeance as two goals from Jodel Dossou and Steve Mounie cancelled out Raphael Onyedika’s 27th  minute opener to condemn the Nigerians to a shocking 2-1 defeat in their 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June.

The stunning defeat by the Cheetahs led to the then-Super Eagles head coach Finidi George’s demotion and eventual resignation, setting off a series of events that left the coaching position in chaos.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) attempted to appoint German coach Bruno Labbadia as the new head coach, but the deal fell through due to contractual disagreements. As a result, Eguavoen, on his third stint as coach, was appointed interim coach of the team. The 1994 AFCON winner is now saddled with the daunting task of restoring confidence and leading the Super Eagles back to winning ways after back-to-back poor performances at the last FIFA international window in June. The team aim to bounce back from a recent dip in form that has seen them win just once in their last five matches.

Since losing the 2023 AFCON final to Cote d’Ivoire  in February 2023, the Super Eagles have struggled to regain their winning momentum.

They have suffered defeats to Mali and Benin, drawn against South Africa, and managed only a single win against Ghana.

Head to head, the Super Eagles have met the Cheetahs eight times with the three-time African champions winning six times against their neighbours two wins. Incidentally, the last coach to led the Super Eagles to a World Cup appearance, Gernot Rohr, led the Cheetahs to their famous 2026 World Cup qualifying win in June and the German would be hoping to inflict more misery to his former employers by affecting their qualification to the AFCON although he admitted that Nigeria will be stronger and more difficult to defeat this time around. Incidentally the present caretaker coach replaced the German and failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“Nigeria is not a conquered territory, far from it,” he said “We beat them three months ago, so they will certainly have a spirit of revenge, which can be important, and that is normal.”

He continued: “They didn’t have some players who are there now , Ekong the captain, Osimhen who will be there this time and behind them they have Ola Aina. It will be a stronger team than the one we beat in June in Abidjan.”

“We are wary, in addition at home, they have obligations to get a result now after a series of draws and even defeats.

“There was another change of coach that’s it, we will prepare well. It’s not because, we know the opponent that it will be easy to beat them. It will be a difficult match but we will prepare well,” he added.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles captain William Troost Ekong believes that the team will be unfazed at the prospect of playing against their former coach Gernot Rohr despite the German victory in his first game against his former team since he was sacked in 2021.

The Al-Khalood of Saudi Arabia star also confirmed the Super Eagles readiness for the game.

“We are ready for the game, playing against Gernot Rohr, a coach that knows us very well, was with us up to five years but we will be ready for the game.”

Credit: thenationonlineng.net