The African vice-champion, who had not yet won since the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, lost to Benin (1-2) for the fourth day this Monday, June 10. The Super Eagles are second to last in their group.
2 mins
Four games without a win and above all a final defeat against Benin (1-2) which hurts. A setback in front of his neighbor and against his ex-coach Gernot Rohr. Nigeria can legitimately declare itself in crisis after four bad days in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Where has the fine finalist of the last CAN gone? The giant with six participations in the World Cup?
There is no doubt that the crisis which accompanied the end of the contract of the finalist coach, José Peseiro, and the late arrival of the new boss, George Finidi, did not help the Super Eagles. The new coach (former assistant), who arrived a little over a month ago, clearly did not have time to get the three-time African champion back on his feet. To make matters worse, Nigeria had to do without its striker and offensive leader, Victor Osimhen, injured and forfeited for the 3rd and 4th days of the qualifiers.
Overturned…
But with Ademola Lookman, who won the Europa League with Atalanta Bergamo, Victor Boniface, German champion with Leverkusen, as well as players like the Milanese Samuel Chukwueze or the Niçois Terem Moffi, Nigeria undoubtedly had the means to do better against Benin, the supporters must have thought. Especially when Raphael Onyedika opens the scoring for the Super Eagles in a Félicia stadium in Abidjan where Benin has exiled itself and does not have a stadium approved by Fifa.
But Finidi’s men will be overthrown by the Guépards before the end of the first period with the equalizer from Jodel Dossou (37th), followed by the victorious goal from Steve Mounié (45+3).
With this defeat, Nigeria is now 5th in Group C, four points behind the new leader… Benin. Six days and 16 months before the end of the qualifiers, everything remains possible obviously, but we will have to wake up quickly to see the Americas in 2026.