Nigeria vs Benin: Super Eagles not driven to avenge June defeat – Eguavoen

Published on by Andrew Randa

Austin Eguavoen, the interim coach of the Super Eagles, has played down revenge as a motivating force ahead of Saturday's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier against Benin.

Eguavoen, who has taken charge of the team on a temporary basis, is instead focused on securing maximum points in the upcoming matches against Benin and Rwanda.

In the last international window, Nigeria suffered a shock 2-1 defeat in Abidjan at the hands of the Cheetahs, who came from behind to record their first-ever win over their more illustrious neighbours.

Nigeria vs Benin: Super Eagles not driven to avenge June defeat – Eguavoen
Photo by IMAGO

That result, in 2026 World Cup qualifying, left the Super Eagles second from bottom in Group C and extended their winless run in the series to four matches.

Three points the mission for Super Eagles – Eguavoen

“Starting with the match against Benin Republic on Saturday, nobody is mentioning anything about revenge,” Eguavoen said.

“Our goal is three points, and then we aim for another three points in Kigali on Tuesday that will put us in good stead for qualification.”

The Super Eagles will host Benin at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium this Saturday, with kick-off set for 5pm, before travelling to Kigali to face Rwanda on Tuesday, September 10.

Nigeria, have been underwhelming since the end of the 2024 AFCON in the Ivory Coast where the team lost 2-1 to the hosts in the final, only winning one of their subsequent four fixtures.

With both Benin and Rwanda also in Nigeria's 2026 World Cup qualifying group, these games carry added significance for the Super Eagles’ broader ambitions.

Nigeria vs Benin: Super Eagles not driven to avenge June defeat – Eguavoen

Andrew Randa

Andrew Randa is a veteran Nigerian sports journalist with over 20 years of experience covering the beautiful game across Africa. Andrew served as a Media Officer for Nigeria's U-20 Men's National Team for three years, offering a unique perspective on the future stars of Nigerian football.

Beyond reporting, Andrew is a pioneer in sports graphics creation within Nigeria. His expertise extends to sports kit design, making him a true multi-faceted talent in the African sports landscape.

Andrew's experience is vast, with collaborations encompassing prestigious names like Kickoff, SuperSport, the NFF (Nigeria Football Federation), and the NPFL (Nigeria Professional Football League)