Nigeria’s Super Eagles of Nigeria, led by center-back William Troost-Ekong, secured an impressive 1-1 draw against Benin in their recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
The match played out at the Felix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan saw Nigeria come from behind to maintain their unbeaten streak, despite conceding a goal for the first time during this campaign.
Troost-Ekong and his team were visibly pleased with their performance, particularly with ensuring their spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as well as extending their unbeaten record.
In a recent interview, Troost-Ekong emphasized the draw’s fairness, stating how happy he was to maintain their unbeaten streak this campaign and qualify for AFCON 2025, “We’re very, very happy to have made it through and to hold onto our unbeaten run throughout this campaign.”
The Nigerian defense faced significant challenges during the match, with Troost-Ekong pointing to a moment of bad fortune regarding Benin’s sole goal.
“We were a tad unlucky with their goal; Victor Osimhen wasn’t in the right place at the right time for the play to unfold correctly,” Troost-Ekong shared.
With 11 points in five games, Nigeria secured their spot for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, well ahead of second-placed Benin Republic. Only one game remains for Nigeria, set to take on Rwanda at 5pm on November 18; however, their qualification was already guaranteed.
