Finidi with the latest defeat has now lost two games out of the four matches he has so far taken charge of
By Kehinde Okeowo
Embattled Super Eagles head coach,
Finidi George has demanded more commitment from his players after their 2-1 defeat to Benin Republic.
The Nigerian team lost to less fancied Squirrels in a 2026 World Cup qualifier played at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Monday afternoon.
Raphael Onyedika opened the scoring for the three-time African champions, but Gernot Rohr’s men took the lead thanks to goals from Jodel Dossou and Steve Mounie.
The loss means Nigeria have now picked up only three points from their first four games in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers.
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However, speaking with reporters ahead of their next game against Rwanda in March 2025, Finidi told his player that they cannot afford to throw in the towel after the shocking result against Benin.
He said, “There is no other formula for that. We have to see how the players will start the new season and see how we can get the best out of them.
“Everybody must be committed because with that commitment, we will win games.
“If we can win games, the battle will still be there, we can’t throw in the towel because we have just three points, we have to find a way to get these players back in a way for them to perform,”
Prior to this humbling defeat, the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw by the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in their third World Cup qualifying game at Goodwill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Friday.