Three months ago, the Cheetahs of Benin Republic secured a rare victory against the Super Eagles in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Abidjan, a defeat that has put a big question mark on the Eagles’ qualification to the biggest world football showpiece to be co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico. The 2-1 win was the first ever victory of Benin Republic over Nigeria in 65 years.
 
It ended the reign of Finidi George as coach of the Super Eagles. 
 
Today, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the Eagles have the chance to avenge that defeat, as both teams begin the qualification for 2025 African Nations Cup to be hosted in Morocco. 
 
Perhaps, the focus this afternoon will be on interim coach Augustine Eguavoen, facing former Super Eagles handler, Gernot Rohr. In 2021, Rohr qualified the Super Eagles for the AFCON in Cameroon, but he was sacked for Eguavoen to take charge. The Eagles eventually crashed out in the second round of the tournament.
 
After a run of four competitive matches starting with the semifinal match of the last AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, and two World Cup qualifying duels, without a win, Eguavoen believes he has the magic to put smile on faces of Nigerians again.
 
On the other said, Rohr says this back-to-back clash between the two west Africa neigbours can go either way. Like he did in Abidjan in June in the World Cup qualifiers, Rohr is optimistic of inflicting another pain on Nigerians today.
 
Eguavoen declared during the week that Eagles are raring to go for all six points available in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda.
 
Eguavoen, who also led the Eagles in the final round of Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers, which the Super Eagles lost to the Black Stars of Ghana in Abuja, is confident the spate of poor run by Nigeria will change today in Uyo.
 
Three days later, the Super Eagles will keep a date with Rwanda’s Amavubi in Kigali.
  “Our objective is clear: to pick the six points in both matches. The players know this, and are committed to accomplishing this,” Eguavoen said. “The matches will not be easy; no qualifying game can be taken for granted because all the teams want to play in the finals.
 
“However, we have spoken to the players and all of us are on the same page. Starting with the match against Benin Republic, nobody is mentioning anything about revenge. Our goal is three points, and then we aim for another three points in Kigali on Tuesday that will put us in good stead for qualification,” he stated.
 
Eguavoen is banking on a number of players who are truly determined to appease fans for missing the two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in June, from which poor results threaten the Eagles’ chances of reaching the 2026 finals.
 
AFCON’s Man-of-the-Tournament, William Ekong, is back, as team captain, after he was overlooked in the ties against South Africa and Benin Republic. Ekong scored three goals at the AFCON finals early in the year.
 
The African Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, also missed the two games in June, as well as defender Ola Aina and star forward, Moses Simon, owing to injury.
 
Osimhen, who is on loan to the Turkish giants, Galatasaray, will be ready to impress his new employers, while also making rubbish, the statement that he is match rusty.
 
Rapid-raider Simon, who, on his good day, can single-handedly nullify opposition, is also eager to wear the green-white-green again, just as Aina. Eguavoen is most likely to start goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, with Aina, Semi Ajayi, Ekong and Bassey at the rear, and any three of Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Alhassan Yusuf and Raphael Onyedika in midfield. Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze, Simon, Taiwo Awoniyi, Victor Boniface and Ademola Lookman are gunning for shirts at the fore.
 
Lookman, in the list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or, will walk with a greater spring in his steps, and justifiably so. He scored three crucial goals for Nigeria at the AFCON, and his 17 goals and 11 assists steered Atalanta FC to the Europa Cup final, where his hat-trick did the damage on German club, Bayer Leverkusen.