Victor Osimhen powered home a well placed headers nine minutes from full time to save the Super Eagles of Nigeria from a second defeat in three games against Benin Republic as it helped them scraped a 1-1 draw away in Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

OwnGoalNigeria.com rates the performance of the players who represented Nigeria in the stalemate that sealed the team’s spot as group winners.

Stanley Nwabali – Should have done better for the header that handed Benin Republic the lead. He had a very good performance afterwards…..6/10

Gabriel Osho – Not quite comfortable as he gave the ball away under no pressure but did rounded up the game very well with no sign of a player making his debut. He was unfortunately subbed off as the team chase a way back into the game……4/10

Calvin Bassey – Maintained his usual combative style which helped him in winning duels and also linking up attack. However he was a part of the backline that was all over the place in the first half. Didn’t do any better in the second half…..4/10

William Troost-Ekong – Should be blamed for the lack of organization in the defence that led to the goal conceded. He however redeemed himself with a very solid showing in the second half…..6/10

Bruno Onyemaechi – Could have gotten a textbook assist if Osimhen had buried the cross he supplied to him on a plate. Very good on the ball and his last ditch tackle saved the team from going two goals behind in the second half. Solid showing in the second half though…..6/10

Ola Aina – Had a very steady performance and didn’t look threatened. Very comfortable on the ball and always tried to take his man on when isolated. Didn’t match the height that he has set this season in England with Nottingham Forest…..5/10

Alex Iwobi – Not one of his best performances for the Super Eagles as he lost his man for the header that handed Benin Republic the lead. Improved in the second half but like Aina this is well below his standard this season for Fulham…..5/10

Wilfred Ndidi – Mopped up everything in front of him and tried to get the team going with forward passes. A sub par performance…..5/10

Kelechi Iheanacho – A weird choice on the right side of attack, a decision he failed to justify with a below par performance before he was subbed off before the start of the second half……3/10

Ademola Lookman – Had a very quite first half and not much went his way in the second half. Devoid of service but also guilty of giving the ball away in promising positions……6/10

Victor Osimhen – Wasted Nigeria’s best chance to draw level in the first half by missing a clear cut header in the box. Redeemed himself with the leveler nine minutes from full time……6.5/10

Substitutes:

Moses Simon – Gave the team an instant balance with his introduction and supplied the assist for Osimhen. A player who shouldn’t be benched for any reason…..6.5/10

Victor Osimhen powered home a well placed headers nine minutes from full time to save the Super Eagles of Nigeria from a second defeat in three games against Benin Republic as it helped them scraped a 1-1 draw away in Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Super Eagles head into the game knowing that they are already through to next year’s AFCON tournament after Libya’s shock 1-0 win away to Rwanda in Kigali, and it probably played a huge part in the way they approached the game.

A clumsy start to the game saw them fall 0-1 . behind with goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali failing to deal with a routine header from Muhammed Tijjani in the 16th minute.

Nigeria’s best chance of the first half fell to talisman Osimhen but he failed to direct his header on goal with the goalkeeper beaten by a cross from Bruno Onyemaechi after a sweeping passing sequence.

He however made amends nine minutes from time when he headed home a pin point delivery from Moses Simon to seal stop spot for the Super Eagles, who are now on 11 points that can’t can’t be matched by any other team in the group.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria of are through to the 2025 AFCON before their penultimate game of the qualifiers against Benin Republic in Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Top of the group with ten points, the Nigerians would have gone into the game against Benin looking for a point to gain an unassailable lead but that won’t be the case anymore after Libya pulled one of the shock results of the group by beating Rwanda in Kigali.

It means Nigeria with ten points will at worst finish second as no other team from the duo of Libya and Rwanda stuck at four and five points respectively can overhaul their tally with one game left to play, only Benin Republic can with a win over Nigeria today and also Libya in their final game of the qualifiers.

Libya’s result achieved by a goal from Fahd T Saad Mohamed with six minutes left to play has rendered Nigeria’s last two games in the group to a dead rubber tie, but they will still be keen to finish as group winners.

The starting lineup for the senior national team of Nigeria for their 2025 AFCON qualifiers game against Benin Republic has been made known by head coach of the team Austine Eguavoen, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Super Eagles head into the game searching for at least a point against their host, who are under pressure not to lose in order to keep their chances of making it to the tournament next year in Morocco.

In view of that the coach has adopted a more conservative approach by going with three at the back handing a debut to Auxerre defender Gabriel Osho who starts on the right as part of a back three with the duo of Calvin Bassey and captain William Troost-Ekong.

Eguavoen picked the duo of Ola Aina and Bruno Onyemaechi to play as the right and left wing back respectively leaving the duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi as the midfield two.

In attack he pulled a major surprise by picking Kelechi Iheanacho to start on the right after his impressive performance in training yesterday like we exclusively reported. Also Victor Boniface drops to the bench for Victor Osimhen to lead the line.

Ademola Lookman completes the starting XI with a role as the left sided forward.

Starting XI

Stanley Nwabali

Osho + Ekong + Bassey

Aina + Ndidi + Iwobi + Onyemaechi

Iheanacho + Osimhen + Lookman

Auxerre defender Gabriel Osho left head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen with a huge smile on his face after his impressive performance in yesterday’s training session, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osho who is honoring the call up to the Nigerian team for the first time, after missing the last one due to a knock picked up while at Luton Town FC in the English Premier League didn’t show any signs of a player who is new to the team.

Yesterday in what was the team’s first full training session ahead of today’s game against Benin Republic in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, the 26 year old came out top in almost all of the duels he was involved in.

The initial plan wasn’t for him to start against Benin, but his performance yesterday is forcing into a rethink and he could start alongside William Troost-Ekong in central defence. Now fully established as a regular for Auxerre who are now finding their feet in the top division, if he starts Calvin Bassey will drop to the bench.

He showed enough during the one hour plus training to prove his readiness for the physical nature of African football. Eguavoen gave him a pat on the back after the session, a sign that could mean a debut for the defender who can also operate as a full back from either flanks.

Ahead of tonight’s game between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Cheetahs of Benin Republic head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen is facing a huge selection headache, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

The coach had the full compliment of the players yesterday in their first real session ahead of today’s game, which a point will seal their spot at the next year Africa Cup of nations as they presently lead their group with ten points.

One player who was particularly impressive in training was Kelechi Iheanacho, and he could likely force the coach into a change of mind by handing him a starting spot. His sharpness playing from a role just behind the main striker could see Alex Iwobi drop to the bench in the event that he is considered for a start.

Iheanacho hasn’t seen any playing time so far in the three games the team have played in the AFCON qualifiers, but will no doubt play some part either today or in four days time when they round up their campaign against Rwanda in Uyo.

Real Sociedad striker Sadiq Umar was the star of the shooting session of the Super Eagles of Nigeria ahead of today’s game against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Cote d’Ivoire, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Sadiq who was listed in the list of players called up for the final round of games for the AFCON qualifiers starting from today’s game, before the game in Uyo against Rwanda showed his shooting technique is up there with the best.

During the course of yesterday’s full training session, the players were engaged in a shooting drill under the watchful eyes of interim coach of the team Austine Eguavoen and his assistants.

All invited goalkeepers were made to face the outfield players and none of them stopped a single effort from Sadiq. Nwabali who had the most saves in the session was left disappointed as he failed to stop any from the lanky forward.

Later today he is expected to play some part, but most likely as a substitute in the game where the Super Eagles need a point to be sure of participating at next year’s AFCON.

Head coach of the senior national team of Benin Republic says his team will stand a chance of surprising the senior national team of Nigeria if the officiating is better than what they experienced in their last game away to Rwanda, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Rohr’s team need to avoid a defeat against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in today’s AFCON Qualifiers game at their adopted home ground in Cote d’Ivoire, for them to be able to be in charge of their quest to be at the next AFCON.

The coach who handled the Nigerian team for almost six years revealed the way his team will approach the game with a mindset of getting something from the game despite missing a lot players in defence.

“The key to this match will certainly be good organisation. Our newly composed defence will also have to perform well, because we have had to reshape our back line several times already. If we are in a good place, if we manage to develop our football as we have been doing for about a year and a half, I believe we can put them in danger. All the victories we have had here prove that we have a say, even against a big team ‘, he said.

He went further to play down the chances of his team getting another win over Nigeria after their 2-1 win over them in June in the world cup qualifiers at the same venue.

“In June, Nigeria was not at full strength. Now they are. The only thing missing is Ajayi, who is injured. We know that they are the favourites and it will take a feat to beat them again. Despite the absences we have, we are confident that we can play a good game and get a good result ,”

He rounded up by making a call for free and fair officiating in the game as it will play a huge role in determining the outcome of the game. ” We hope that the refereeing will be up to par. It was a bit special in Rwanda. I hope that we will have good referees and that everything will go well .”

Head coach of the senior national team of Benin Republic says his team will stand a chance of surprising the senior national team of Nigeria if the officiating is better than what they experienced in their last game away to Rwanda, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Rohr’s team need to avoid a defeat against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in today’s AFCON Qualifiers game at their adopted home ground in Cote d’Ivoire, for them to be able to be in charge of their quest to be at the next AFCON.

The coach who handled the Nigerian team for almost six years revealed the way his team will approach the game with a mindset of getting something from the game despite missing a lot players in defence.

“The key to this match will certainly be good organisation. Our newly composed defence will also have to perform well, because we have had to reshape our back line several times already. If we are in a good place, if we manage to develop our football as we have been doing for about a year and a half, I believe we can put them in danger. All the victories we have had here prove that we have a say, even against a big team ‘, he said.

He went further to play down the chances of his team getting another win over Nigeria after their 2-1 win over them in June in the world cup qualifiers at the same venue.

“In June, Nigeria was not at full strength. Now they are. The only thing missing is Ajayi, who is injured. We know that they are the favourites and it will take a feat to beat them again. Despite the absences we have, we are confident that we can play a good game and get a good result ,”

He rounded up by making a call for free and fair officiating in the game as it will play a huge role in determining the outcome of the game. ” We hope that the refereeing will be up to par. It was a bit special in Rwanda. I hope that we will have good referees and that everything will go well .”

Auxerre defender Gabriel Osho left head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen with a huge smile on his face after his impressive performance in yesterday’s training session, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osho who is honoring the call up to the Nigerian team for the first time, after missing the last one due to a knock picked up while at Luton Town FC in the English Premier League didn’t show any signs of a player who is new to the team.

Yesterday in what was the team’s first full training session ahead of today’s game against Benin Republic in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, the 26 year old came out top in almost all of the duels he was involved in.

Although he is certain not to start against Benin, his performance yesterday showed why Eguavoen didn’t give up on him despite a slow start to life in France. He is now fully established as a regular for Auxerre who are now finding their feet in the top division.

He showed enough during the one hour plus training to prove his readiness for the physical nature of African football. Eguavoen gave him a pat on the back after the session, a sign that could mean a debut for the defender who can also operate as a full back from either flanks.