Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has warned that Nigeria should expect a difficult encounter against Benin Republic in Thursday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Softfootball understands that the two West African neighbours will meet at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with both sides aiming for a positive result in the crucial Group D clash.
The venue holds mixed memories for Nigeria, who suffered a 2-1 defeat to Gernot Rohr’s Benin side the last time the two teams met there. However, Troost-Ekong prefers to focus on the happier memories from the stadium, where the Super Eagles enjoyed a successful campaign during the 2023 AFCON.
The experienced defender acknowledged that Benin will provide a stern challenge as they are also fighting to secure qualification for next year’s tournament in Morocco.
Despite anticipating a closely contested match, Troost-Ekong insisted Nigeria’s objective remains unchanged, with the Super Eagles determined to claim all three points.
The captain believes the team must build on the confidence gained from previous performances at the stadium and deliver another strong display to strengthen their qualification hopes.
