FIFA WORLD CUP 26
Head Coach Finidi George has admitted that the Super Eagles were condemned to win their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C qualifier against Republic of Benin today in Abidjan.
“ We are going to approach the game with all seriousness; the match against South Africa is gone, George said at his press briefing. “We have learnt from it and we just have to get ourselves to have that fantastic second half that we had (against South Africa) and if we can start that way, we would have a chance.”
Lying in a strange fifth place in the six-team Group C after three rounds of matches, the Super Eagles know only a win against the Cheetahs this evening will keep them seriously in the hunt for a place at the World Cup finals to be jointly hosted by Canada, USA and Mexico in two years’ time.
“We’re very much aware of why we are here and what we have to do,” George was quoted as saying as the Super Eagles contingent landed earlier in Abidjan. “The players want to go to the World Cup and they have resolved to give their all in every game going forward. We had our opportunities against South Africa on Friday and should have won, but that is gone and we face another challenge now.
“We have resolved not to look too far ahead in this race. The essence is to take it one match at a time. Benin Republic is in our front now, and we must deal with that squarely.”
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With only three points from their first three matches of the campaign, and going up against the Cheetahs who boast four points, the Eagles know they must fire on all cylinders and recreate the happy moments of the AFCON at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny – where they won all three matches played there during the Africa Cup of Nations finals earlier in the year.
Gabonese official Pierre Ghislain Atcho will be the referee for today’s encounter that commences at 4pm CIV time (5pm in Nigeria).
Ethiopian officials Temesgin Samuel Atango and Tigle Gizlaw Belachew will serve as assistant referees 1 and 2, while Cameroonian Antoine Max Effa Essouma will be fourth official.
Djamel Haimoudi from Algeria will be the referee assessor, with Burkinabe David Yameogo as commissioner and Ivorian Atte Claude Elloh as security officer.
The Super Eagles’ delegation to Abidjan led by President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, included 23 players, technical and administrative officials, a few members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management, and a couple of media representatives. They flew aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft from the Obong Victor Attah Airport in Uyo and landed at the Aeroport Felix Houphouet-Boigny at noon on Sunday.
