TheCable

The Super Eagles are set to visit the Squirrels of Benin Republic who have not lost at home in eight years. The challenge between these two football giants has never been this tough for Nigeria who have never lost to their next door neighbours in fourteen games. 

In fact, Nigeria’s biggest win ever was a 10-1 whitewashing of Dahomey (as Benin Republic was then known) in a friendly match in 1959.  

TheCable travels back memory lane to recant five of the most impactful competitive continental encounters between the two countries. 

September 30, 1990: Benin Republic 0-1 Nigeria — 1992 AFCON qualification game

The first time the two neighbouring countries played each other in a competitive match. The teams have met eight times before but these were friendly games of little significance. Super Eagles had barely missed out of Italia 1990 World Cup to a Cameroon team that went on to create an African record at the Mundial. The nation was also healing from the hole that the death of Samuel Okparaji — an ex-Nigerian footballer who died while playing for the country — dug into its heart. The disappointment and heartbreak exacerbated as the Eagles crumbled to Ghana in their second game of the qualifiers and their road to Senegal 1992 AFCON began tapering. 

Against Benin, Clemens Westerhof, then Super Eagles’ coach, tweaked tactics and replaced a more popular Rashidi Yekini with a little-known Ishaya Jatau. Ishaya grabbed the opportunity and wrote his name in the heart of Nigerians. The striker, who was the first person to be crowned highest goalscorer of the Nigeria League, scored the only goal of the game in the 55th minute and got Super Eagle qualification quest back on track. Nigeria eventually qualified for the competition and finished third.

February 4, 2004: Benin Republic 1-2 Nigeria — Group Stage  Tunisia 2004 AFCON 

Super Eagles had lost their first group game against Morocco to pin themselves in a difficult corner. Although they responded emphatically with a four-nil victory over South Africa in the next match, Eagles must defeat Benin Republic to qualify into the quarter-finals — a feat they’ve never failed to achieve since 1982. 

Nigeria kept tab on South Africa against Morocco, the other game of the group, that was going on simultaneously with theirs. Shivers slither down the spines of the nation as Patrick Mayo scored for Bafana Bafana in the 29th minute. If things ended that way, South Africa would go through alongside Morocco. 

Relief came in the 35th minute as Jay Jay Okocha whipped a corner kick into the box and Maxime Agueh, Benin Republic goalkeeper, punched it clear. But it was not clear enough as John Utaka headed back into the area. Garba Lawal reacted quickest to the loose ball and stabbed it into the net to give Nigeria the lead. Super Eagles second goal was a gift. Anicet Adjamossi dallied too much with the ball in his team’s box and Utaka stole it off him before rounding up the goalkeeper to slot it into an empty net.

Although Squirrels got a consolation goal through Moussa Latoudji, it was not enough to stumble Nigeria’s progress into the quarter-finals. Morocco drew South Africa and joined Eagles in the last 8. Nigeria would finish third in the tournament. 

January 29, 2008: Nigeria 2-0 Benin Republic — Group Stage Ghana 2008 AFCON

Another African Cup of Nations and another difficult corner for the Super Eagles. After two rounds of games, they earned just one point. A loss to Cote D’Ivoire in the first game was followed by a draw against Mali. Nigeria’s preparation ahead of the tournament was mired by the not-so-subtle disagreement between Berti Vogts, then head coach of Nigeria, and Sani Lulu, the then president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Where two elephants fight, the ground quakes; and the team did suffer the worst. They camped in Spain for a tournament to be hosted in Ghana. Vincent Enyeama was frozen out of the team by Vogts who opted for Austin Ejide. Expectedly, things crumbled as the tournament progressed and the Eagles must win their final group game against Benin Republic to advance to the quarter-finals.

The nervy game began against a dogged Benin side searching for their first AFCON point ever. Yohan Djidonou, the Squirrels goalkeeper, was alert to everything kicked at him by Nigeria. In the 53rd minute, however, a Taiye Taiwo’s free-kick was too powerful and Djidonou spilled it to Osaze Odemwingie who scooped the rebound to John Obi Mikel who headed in from the far post to shatter the deadlock. The scorer turned provider for the second goal as he launched a defense-splitting pass that set Yakubu Aiyegbeni through on goal.  The striker finished with aplomb before wheeling away in celebration. Nigeria would be knocked out by Ghana, the host, in the quarter-final and Vogts would resign from his position afterwards. 

January 16, 2010: Nigeria 1-0 Benin Republic — Group Stage Angola 2010 AFCON

Nigeria had qualified for the 2010 World Cup by one point. It took Mozambique beating Tunisia in the final rounds of games for Super Eagles to qualify for the first World Cup on African soil. Complaints had heaped around Shaibu Amodu, then Eagles head coach, and his conservative style of play that almost dealt the country its second consecutive World Cup absence since 1994.

The NFF, however, stood with the late tactician and he took the team to Angola for the AFCON. As usual, the team lost their first group game 3-1 against Egypt, the defending champions. Benin Republic was next, led by Razak Omotoyossi, who had an axe to grind with the country after NFF slammed him with a five-year ban for allegedly assaulting a referee during a Nigerian League game for Sunshine Stars.

A Yakubu Aiyegbeni first-half penalty was the only difference of the game. Nigeria finished third in the tournament yet again. 

November 13, 2019: Nigeria 2-1 Benin Republic — 2021 AFCON qualification game

The first game of 2021 AFCON qualifiers and the nation expected Super Eagles to continue riding the wave of good form that had earned the team a third-place finish at the just concluded continental cup in Egypt.

However, Stephane Sessegnon shocked Nigeria when he pulled Benin ahead with a goal just three minutes into the game. The Squirrels’ captain capitalised on sloppy defending to surprise their hosts.

Super Eagles regained their composure and responded impressively. The improved performance paid off on the stroke of halftime when Ola Aina was pulled down in the box and a penalty was awarded. Victor Osimhen put the spotkick well beyond the reach of Fabien Fanolle to equalise for Eagles.

Then on the hour mark, Samuel Kalu proved he could fill the boots left by Victor Moses’ premature retirement from international football. The Bordeaux winger slalomed in from the wing, gliding past a couple of defenders with quick feet before smashing the ball into the bottom left corner to complete the comeback for the Super Eagles.