Nigeria’s World Cup dreams are hanging by a thread after suffering a shocking 2-1 defeat to Benin Republic on Monday.
This historic victory for Benin marked the first time they’ve ever beaten the Super Eagles, putting Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup in serious jeopardy.
The Super Eagles now find themselves with a mere three points from four qualifying matches, placing them at significant risk of missing out on consecutive World Cups for the first time since their debut in 1994.
In a stunning turn of events, Benin Republic, considered underdogs, climbed to the top of Group C in the CAF qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Nigeria, needing a win to revive their chances, remains stuck in fifth place.
The gap between them and the top could widen to five points if Lesotho defeats Rwanda.
Despite being the home team, Benin played the match at the familiar Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where Nigeria had previously played several 2023 African Cup Nations matches.
Coach Finidi George made two key changes from the squad that drew with South Africa.
Injured Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was replaced by Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge, and Terem Moffi started ahead of Paul Onuachu.
Nigeria dominated possession in the early stages, but their efforts in the final third were lacking precision. The first clear chance came in the 14th minute when Ademola Lookman set up Osayi-Samuel, whose attempt went wide.
The Super Eagles broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. Samuel Chukwueze found Onyedika on the left side of Benin’s defense. Despite the pressure, Onyedika managed to curl the ball into the far-right corner, putting Nigeria ahead.
However, Benin Republic responded quickly. Jodel Dossou capitalized on a defensive lapse in the 37th minute, slotting the ball past the Nigerian goalkeeper Nwabali.
Just before halftime, a poorly cleared corner allowed Benin’s Steve Mounie to score, giving the hosts a surprising lead.
In the second half, Finidi made aggressive changes, bringing on strikers Paul Onuachu and Victor Boniface.
Despite continued pressure, Nigeria struggled to find an equalizer, with Lookman’s header from a Chukwueze cross going wide.
Further substitutions saw Saduq Ismail and Ibrahim Olawoyin replace the two Samuels, but Nigeria’s offensive efforts remained disjointed.
As the match concluded, Nigeria’s qualification hopes took a severe blow. The team must now regroup and address their issues in the final third if they hope to salvage their World Cup campaign.
