The match began with high expectations for Nigeria. Raphael Onyedika opened the scoring for Finidi George’s men with a well-executed goal, giving Nigerian fans a brief moment of optimism after their 1-1 draw with South Africa last Friday.
Despite several attempts to regain control in the second half, the Super Eagles failed to break down the resilient Benin defense.
Nigeria’s offensive efforts were repeatedly thwarted, and they struggled to find cohesion and creativity in the final third.
DAILY POST reports that the defeat leaves Nigeria in fifth position in their group, having accumulated only 3 points from four matches.
They are behind leaders Benin Republic, who currently top the group with 7 points. Lesotho is in second position with 5 points, followed by Rwanda (4 points) and South Africa (4 points), while Zimbabwe sits at the bottom of the table with 2 points.
Only Nigeria and Benin Republic have played four matches, while the remaining teams in the group have played three games each. Nigeria now has six matches left to play in the World Cup qualifying series.
Their next World Cup qualifier is against Rwanda on March 17, 2025. After the Rwanda game, they will face Zimbabwe, Rwanda again, South Africa, Lesotho, and Benin Republic.
Nigeria’s current standing is troubling, given that they have already played four matches, while other teams have played only three.
The Super Eagles’ path to qualification is now significantly more challenging, and they will need to maximize points in their remaining fixtures to stand a chance of advancing.
Their defeat to Benin highlights several issues within the team. Despite having a talented squad, Nigeria has struggled with consistency and effectiveness in both defense and attack.
