by
Nigeria have picked up their first defeat in the 2026 World Cup qualifying series―a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic on Monday.
Before today, the Super Eagles had drawn their first three fixtures 1-1.
So, what are the three things we learnt from the shock result in Abidjan?
Real danger of not playing at 2026 World Cup
Nigeria missed out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. And from all indications, they will probably miss the next edition, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. The Super Eagles sit in fifth place in Group C after four matches, with other teams performing better than them so far.
Finidi not good enough
There was a lot of controversy concerning Finidi George’s appointment last month. And it appears some of the criticisms are justified. The former Enyimba boss has not proven himself to be tactically astute, making strange calls like dropping Victor Boniface for the two games. Finidi has also made knee-jerk substitutions when under pressure. One wonders if Emmanuel Amuneke would have been a better choice.
Rohr gets his revenge
What a feeling it must have been for Gernot Rohr after the full-time whistle went in Abidjan. The German tactician was sacked in 2021 after managing the Super Eagles for five years. And on Monday, his latest African team took his former employers to the cleaners and dented their chances of playing at the next World Cup.
