Gernot Rohr has said Super Eagles defeat to Benin Republic in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers motivated them to beat his side on Saturday.
The Eagles got their Group D campaign in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers off to a perfect with a 3-0 win against Cheetahs of Benin Republic.
A brace from Ademola Lookman and a goal from the returning Victor Osimhen sealed the comfortable win for the Eagles.
Both teams had met on matchday 4 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June, with the Cheetahs coming from a goal down to win 2-1.
Also Read: 2025 AFCONQ: Eagles Can Play Any Formation And Still Win –Eguavoen
Speaking after the game, Rohr said the Eagles avenged the defeat they suffered three months ago.
“When you look at the Nigerian squad, they are all very high-level players who play for their clubs,” Rohr said. “And unfortunately we have players who don’t play much for their clubs. So, you can’t compare the two squads.
“We managed to beat them at home. That gave them extra motivation to take their revenge, which is normal. And we saw that at home, in addition, with the stars present today, who weren’t there last time in Abidjan, the captain Ekong, also Osimhen… You see that there are means in this team that we don’t have. So, we have to stay in our place.”
Rohr said their target is to try and finish second in the group.
“We want to finish at least in second place in this group. If you have conceded three goals it means something has not worked in defense. We knew it was the most difficult match, the first in Nigeria. Now, we will have to start getting points, from Tuesday.
“When we were almost at half-time, we conceded the first goal. It was something that boosted them and hurt us. So, in the second half, we were forced to reveal ourselves a little more. With the speed of their attackers, Lookman, Chukwueze and also Boniface, there were spaces, so they took advantage of it.”
By James Agberebi
8 Comments
@Rohr.
Simply congratulate your bester. 3:0 win is superb in football.
Presently i will choose that WCQ match that will give us better lifeline to see SE in America over this NCQ that happens in January every 2 years so let’s be calming down with these best this and that when we are at the brink of exiting world cup after only 4 matches with 3 points from possible 12 in a group of Haters. Yes we won a NCQ so what? Let’s do the same at WCQ then the celebrations will make sense for cheap fans.
Even if the super eagles win in the WCQ you will still find a way to discredit their achievement Maazi Chima
Oh, Oga Rohr, so now Nigeria have high level players playing in big clubs but when u were in charge u use to say that Nigeria has young players and that u are building. Till u left this was always your story
The Super Eagles was better in the game would’ve been ok. Groundnut Rohr isn’t a good sportsman, the readon why he keeps sounding garrulous.
Vintage gennet rohr. Laid back. Speaking backwards. Already talking about second position after just the first match. Same way he kept on telling us we are only good for the semi final at afcon. Same way he always tell us we are still building after five years of being in charge.
Vintage gennet rohr.
Dr Drey and Monkey post eternal friend. They prefer gennet rohr to qualify for world cup than for Nigeria to qualify for world cup
I love this statement from Rohr:
…..there last time in Abidjan, the captain Ekong, also Osimhen… You see that there are means in this team that we don’t have. So, we have to stay in our place.”
Yes please stay in your place…
Nigeria and Benin are not mates,politically and football (in fact in the days of tokunbo cars, Benin is Nigeria’s 37th state).
“When we were almost at half-time, we conceded the first goal. It was something that boosted them and hurt us. So, in the second half, we were forced to reveal ourselves a little more. With the speed of their attackers, Lookman, Chukwueze and also Boniface, there were spaces, so they took advantage of it.” – GERNOT ROHR.
As Rohr mentioned, the timing of the first goal was a key event in the match. It forced Benin to abandon their original game plan, and try to come out looking for an equalizer, thus leaving space at the back for our forwards to exploit.
Also very important for Nigeria were Nwabali’s saves. The save from a freekick in the first half, and back to back saves in the 2nd half. 3 very vital saves. If the ball had gone in from any of these attempts, it would have been a different game, and the outcome might have been different.