Super Eagles stars talk tough ahead of Nigeria vs Benin Republic

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Super Eagles midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi have shared their thoughts on the upcoming AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic, a match that has taken on added significance following a recent setback for the Nigerian national team.

Nigeria is set to face their western neighbors as they aim to secure qualification for the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The upcoming clash has been dubbed a “revenge mission,” as the Super Eagles are eager to avenge their unexpected 2-1 defeat to Benin in Abidjan during the World Cup qualifiers. That loss dented Nigeria’s World Cup hopes and now serves as extra motivation for the Super Eagles as they prepare for the AFCON qualifiers.

Following a recent Premier League match between Fulham and Leicester City, where Nigerian stars Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi lined up against their compatriot Wilfred Ndidi, the two midfielders spoke to NFF media officer Ayo Olu Ibidapo about the crucial upcoming game.

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Ndidi acknowledged that the Super Eagles have not been performing as well as they would like in their World Cup qualifying campaign but remains optimistic about their chances in the AFCON qualifiers. “We’ll see what goes on in that one in Uyo,” Ndidi said, referring to the venue for the upcoming match against Benin. “They had their win in Abidjan, so Uyo, don’t worry; we’ll see what happens.”

Iwobi echoed Ndidi’s sentiments but went further in outlining what Nigeria needs to do to secure a win. “There’s still a lot to fight for; we have a lot to prove,” Iwobi stated. “I always say we have a lot of quality in the team. Hopefully, we can kick on and get the points that we need to qualify.”

The Fulham midfielder also emphasized the high expectations both from the fans and within the team itself. “The same way the fans demand from us, we demand a lot from ourselves because we know the quality we have, we know how well we do for our club sides, we just have to bring that form on a consistent basis for Nigeria.”

Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying campaign continues with matches against Benin Republic on September 7th and Rwanda three days later. The Super Eagles will be looking to secure crucial points in these fixtures to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the continental tournament.