German coach Gernot Rohr has yet predicted a difficult match as The Cheetahs of Republic of Benin tango with the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C qualifier today at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.
Rohr, who switched coaching roles from Nigeria to Benin, said the game offers the Cheetahs the opportunity to avenge their loss to their illustrious neighbours in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the Charles de Gaulle Stadium in Port Novo.
While the Super Eagles have only secured three points in their opening three matches, The Cheetahs only on Friday secured a shock 1-0 win over Rwanda to jump to third position with four points while Nigeria sits in fifth position in their six-team section that also houses Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“Everything is possible in this group,” Rohr told NationSport exclusively from Abidjan. “Who could believe that Lesotho will be on the top after three matches?”
Though the Super Eagles are pressed for the maximum points in today’s Group C match, Rohr said the coach George Finidi-led side must brace for stiff resistance, adding that The Cheetahs won’t be overawed.
“Our game on Monday (today) is a crucial one,” the former Bayern Munich defender, who qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup as well as the 2019 and 2021 AFCONs, further said. “Nigeria needs to win and Benin wants to win.
“The last match between the two teams in Porto Novo is a bad memory for Benin.”
The willy-old fox who ironically supervised that defeat of Benin in Port Novo has, in the meantime, taken a potshot at Nigeria’s inconsistency since he left the Super Eagles’ job.
“Since I left, three coaches arrived already and the style of the team changed with some new players,” he affirmed. “It will be an interesting game for all of us.”
