Nigeria’s World Cup qualification campaign suffered a devastating blow on Monday, as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Benin Republic in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The historic loss, the first for the Super Eagles against their West African neighbours, leaves their qualification hopes hanging by a thread. Nigeria currently sits precariously in fifth place in Group C with only three points from four games, having drawn their previous matches against Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa.
The result piles pressure on Coach Finidi George, who made three changes to the starting lineup for this crucial match. Samuel Chukwueze, Raphael Onyedika, and Terem Moffi replaced Kelechi Iheanacho, Dele-Bashiru, and Paul Onuacho respectively.
Nigeria started brightly, with Onyedika putting them ahead in the 28th minute. However, Benin Republic responded swiftly, equalizing through Jodel Dossou just nine minutes later. Steve Mounie then delivered a hammer blow on the stroke of halftime, scoring Benin’s second goal and leaving Nigeria with a significant uphill battle in the second half.
Despite their efforts, the Super Eagles were unable to find an equalizer, condemning them to their first-ever defeat against Benin.
Nigeria will now need to win all their remaining games and hope for favorable results elsewhere in the group to have any chance of reaching the 2026 World Cup in North America.
