Burnley forward Andréas Hountondji has fired the first salvo in the way of the senior national team of Nigeria ahead of this weekend’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers game against Benin Republic, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Nigeria will be back in senior international football in the race to be at the 2025 AFCON with games against Benin Republic and Rwanda on the 7th and 10th of September respectively.
A powerhouse in African football, the Super Eagles who were runners up at the last AFCON are currently going through a mini crisis that has seen them win just one of their last four games, and they are yet to pick a win in the world cup qualifiers after four games.
Ahead of their opening game of the AFCON qualifiers, Hountondji who is expected to lead the line for Benin Republic, says the Nigerian team have lost the fear factor that made them great in the past.
” Let’s not say fear anymore but respect. That fear is gone and we saw in the last round of the world cup qualifiers that they are beatable. We will approach the game with that in mind and make the best of it but take nothing away from them they are a very good side”, the 22 year old said.
Ade Emmanuel
