2025 AFCON Qualifiers: Nigeria aim to seal ticket

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will hope to be one of the few teams who will secure their Africa Cup of Nations qualification on Matchday five when they face the Republic of Benin at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The West-African giants need just a point in the last two matches in the group qualifies with the last game being a home game against Rwanda. Nigeria were given a tough time on Matchday 3 and 4 as they won the first leg against Libya in Nigeria 1-0 but the return leg never happened as their flight was diverted by Libyan authorities as they travelled for the second leg.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded the three-time champions three points and three goals without kicking a ball, which put them one point closer to qualifying.

Nigeria’s head coach, Austine Eguavon, called up 23 players to the squad ahead of the two fixtures, including Auxerre defender Gabriel Osho, who is expected to finally make his national team debut.

Super Eagles are top of group D with ten points from four games played and a win secures them a place in Morocco while Benin Republic will hope to avoid a loss with Rwandan breathing down their neck.

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Fasil Kenema SC, Ethiopia)

Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Gabriel Osho (AJ Auxerre, France); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United).

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England).

Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain).