Super Eagles will not only be looking forward to seal their place in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 today but will be looking to doing in style, maintaining a perfect record against Benin Republic, Nigeriasoccernet.com writes.
After three wins out of their earlier four games (the only draw being the Matchday 2 session with Rwanda in Kigali), the Super Eagles are riding high with 10 points, four more than second-placed Benin Republic, who suffered a glitch in Kigali in the last round of games. A win virtually guarantees Nigeria’s leadership of the group going into the final-day tussles.
Some stats to consider which gives the Nigerian side over their opponents includes Benin losing their last three AFCON qualifiers against Nigeria, failing to score in their last two.
? Excluding their awarded match against Libya in matchday four, Nigeria are unbeaten in each of their last six AFCON qualifiers, winning five and keeping five clean sheets.
? Ademola Lookman has scored two of Nigeria’s four goals in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far, while for club and country this season he’s netted 10 goals in 16 matches in all competitions.
The Cheetahs, with six points, know they cannot afford any more slip-ups following the tumble in Kigali, as they could still be tossed if they lose their last two games and Rwanda, on five, earn a minimum of two points in their own final two.
Even Libya, with only one point, can still leap over Benin Republic if they beat Rwanda in Kigali, the Cheetahs are bumped by the Eagles, and the Knights rout the Cheetahs in North Africa on Monday.
The foregoing dynamics will make for a vicious 90 minutes at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in the heart of the Ivorian capital on Thursday evening.
By Olaleye Oluwadamilola