By

Eniola Olatunji 

Former Nigeria Gaffer and currently the Manager of Nigeria’s big opposition at African Cup of Nations (AFCON) level, Benin Republic, Gernot Rhor is catching cold looking for possible and impossible ways to beat the Super Eagles on Thursday and his search has led him to Nigeria’s Literature Giant, Ola Rotimi in his Book, OUR HUSBAND HAS GONE MAD AGAIN.

Rohr has adopted the tactics of old Soldier, Lejoka Brown in SURPRISE AND ATTACK to win as he said he would exploit “small problems” in Nigeria’s Defence to attack Nigeria to obtain victory which will be a surprise to the African football community.

Last 10th June 2024 Rohr dazed Nigeria at the Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan in Ivory Coast with a 2-1 win in a world cup qualifier. The Dressing room went frenzy in celebration as the country hit the headlines for beating African Soccer Giants, Nigeria. In that match, Raphael opened scoring for Nigeria in the 27th minute before Jodel Dossou equalized in the 37th minute and Steve Mounle roup D Qualiscored the winner for the Cheetahs.

The country’s stadium, 35,000 Stade L’Amite, Cotonu was not found fit to host matches by CAF and the Cheetahs (formerly Squirrels) ranked 95 in the world and 6th in Africa had to move to Abidjan to pursue a 4th appearance at AFCON finals with their best performance of a quarterfinal placing in 2019. 

Already Rohr is under heavy criticism for inviting four Nigeria-Benin citizens to camp including Remo Stars of Shagamu first Choice Goalkeeper, Serge Obassa who incidentally took the same plane with his coach Daniel Ogunmodede to Abidjan for the Thursday encounter. Other players connected to Nigeria who are in camp are Junior Olaitan; Tosin Ayegun; Mohammed Tijani; Rahman Karim and Dodo Dokou.

Rohr was Nigeria’s coach from August 2016 to 2021 where he won Bronze at AFCON 2019 for Nigeria and qualified the team for AFCON 2021 but was sacked along the line. He knows the Nigerian players and officials like the back of his hand. He salutes them on birthdays and key appointments.

But with the injury to the Engine Room of the Cheetahs,Matteo Ahlinvi who holds the midfield Rohrs dream may blow off in flames as Nigeria’s attackers Lookman, Osimhen and Boniface are hot now wiring goals at will.

Nigeria’s Coach, Augustine Eguavoen has recovered form a sickness that took hinm to Belgium and is in control in the Eagles camp in Abidjan. NFF has scheduled a private aircraft to lift the Nigeria players to Uyo on Friday morning from Abidjan.

Rohr may have multiple problems with Nigeria that has a clean slate (not conceding a single goal) in the AFCON campaign and leading the table with 10 points scoring 7 goals; Benin is 2nd with 6 points scoring 6 goals and conceding 6; Rwanda is breathing down the throat of Benin with 5 points scoring 3 goals and conceding 5 while Libya is hopelessly down the ladder with a point scoring 2 goals and conceding 7 (with the 3 goals awarded to Nigeria by CAF).

So if Rwanda by performance beat Libya in Match Day 5 and Benin loses to Nigeria, there will be fire on the mountain for Benin to beat Libya in the last group match next week. Benin needs a win in Abidjan and Nigeria needs just a draw to qualify but the Nigerians want to avenge the beating Beni gave then last June on that ground.

Nigeria and Benin have met 11 times and records show Benin is inferior winning only twice and Nigeria recording 9 wins with no draw. There were 24 goals in the 11 encounters with Nigeria scoring 19 goals and Benin scoring 5 goals. Six of those matches were played in AFCON with Nigeria winning all. Both countries met at the world cup level twice, Benin won 1-0 and 2-1.

Let us take some head to head encounters. Nigeria won a CAF CHAN match on 19th August 2017 by 2-0; in a WAFU match of 21st October 2017 Nigeria won by a lone goal; In an AFCON match of 13th November 2019 Nigeria won 2-1; Nigeria again won an AFCON match by a lone goal on 27th March 2021; on 1oth June 2024 Benin shocked Nigeria in a 2-1 victory and Nigeria took a 30- revenge in their last meeting the 1st leg of the AFCON Qualifier with a 3-0 win in Uyo.

Nigeria is a doyen of AFCON Games with 18 appearances winning the title thrice in 1980, 1994 and 2013. She won the Silver 4 times in 1984, 1988, 1990 and 2000. She won the Bronze medals 7 times in 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010.

The match between Benin and Nigeria on Thursday is scheduled for 8pm Nigerian time. Rwanda would have hosted Libya in Kigali at 5pm same Thursday in match Day 5.

Nigeria will host Rwanda in Uyo on Monday 18th November in the last group match at 5pm same time and date Libya will host Benin Republic in that Group D.