Benin Republic Vs Nigeria: Cheetahs lose top defenders, out to avoid fourth straight loss to Eagles in AFCON qualifiers
The Cheetahs of Republic of Benin will be without two of their top defenders, PFC Ludogorets Razgrad of Bulgaria’s Olivier Verdon and Cédric Hountondji of Ligue 1 side, Angers SCO when they face the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a matchday 5 fixture of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
Verdon will not be available for the decisive match due to an injury sustained last weekend during a match with his club Ludogorets in the Bulgarian league.
Hountondji, on the other hand, has not for Angers SCO since September when he was in action for all 90 minutes in their 4-1 loss to OGC Nice at the Stade Raymond Kopa.
Cheetahs coach, Gernot Rohr will have to rack his brains to find a defence capable of containing the Nigerian attackers to be led by the rampaging duo of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
Rohr will also be wary of the fact that the Cheetahs have lost their last three AFCON qualifiers against the Super Eagles.
The Nigerians won 2-1 in Uyo in November 2019 and 1-0 away at Port Novo for the return leg for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Cheetahs were also humbled 3-0 when the two sides met in September this year with Lookman and Osimhen scoring the goals.
Osimhen and Lookman have scored two goals each against the Cheetahs since that first meeting in November 2019 and could combine again on Thursday to kill off the hopes of Nigeria’s next-door neighbor from making it to their fifth appearance in the final tournament while Nigeria will be gunning for her 21st trip.
