Former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr masterminds a crushing victory that pushes his old team to the brink of elimination.
Nigeria’s path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been thrown into serious jeopardy after a disastrous Tuesday night on the African qualifying circuit. The Super Eagles’ hopes, already dented by a draw with South Africa, were dealt a crushing blow by a familiar face: their former manager.
While Nigeria was fighting to a 1-1 draw in South Africa, their West African rivals, the Benin Republic, were putting on a ruthless display. Led by ex-Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr, Benin dismantled Lesotho 4-0 in Cotonou. The emphatic result catapulted Benin into second place in Group C, shoving Nigeria down to a precarious third with only two games left to play.
Benin’s Cheetahs came out aggressively and were quickly rewarded. Striker Steve Mounié capitalized on a defensive mistake to slot the ball into an empty net. He then turned provider, setting up Andreas Hountondji for a second goal after a poor pass from the Lesotho goalkeeper. Just before halftime, a deflected shot from Hassane Imourane found the net, putting the game effectively out of reach.
Any lingering doubt was erased in the 66th minute when Junior Olaitan headed in a rebound to seal a complete and dominant victory for the home side.
The win marks a stunning transformation for Benin under Rohr, the German coach who previously led Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup. Speaking after the match, Rohr praised his team’s new-found strength.
“With 14 points, we not only have the chance to finish first in the group, but we can also end up among the best runners-up,” Rohr said. “The team has become balanced: it doesn’t concede goals, it fights together, and it also has technical resources. We’re seeing young players who are confident, and we have hope.”
The result leaves Nigeria with a daunting uphill battle. To qualify, the Super Eagles must win their final two matches against Rwanda and, ironically, Rohr’s Benin in October, while also hoping other results go their way.
Rohr, aware of the stakes, sounded a note of quiet confidence about the upcoming clash with his former team. “We know Rwanda and Nigeria well, the latter of which we’ve already beaten,” he pointed out.
Failure to qualify would mark a historic low for Nigerian football. After missing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, this would be the first time the Super Eagles have missed two consecutive tournaments since they first debuted on the world stage in 1994.
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