By Ohuakanwa Chibuzo
German coach Gernot Rohr has expressed confidence in the Cheetahs of Benin securing the second qualification spot from Group D for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the Super Eagles of Nigeria booked their place last Thursday.
As the qualification campaign concludes today, Benin faces Libya in Tripoli, while Nigeria hosts Rwanda in Uyo. The stakes are high for Rohr’s side, which sits second in the group with seven points, two ahead of Rwanda. A win or draw in Tripoli would ensure Benin’s return to the continental stage for the first time since their appearance at Egypt 2019.
“This is a decisive game for us,” Rohr told *NationSports* from Tripoli on the eve of the match. “We could have mathematically secured qualification last Thursday if we had won against Nigeria in Abidjan. Now, we must avoid defeat.”
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Rohr, who previously guided Nigeria to the 2019 AFCON after missing the tournaments in 2015 and 2017, emphasized the importance of a focused performance against the Mediterranean Knights. He noted that while two of the three possible results—a win or a draw—would favor Benin, a shock victory by Rwanda over Nigeria in Uyo could still complicate matters.
“If we manage at least a draw, we’ll qualify regardless of Rwanda’s result in Uyo,” Rohr explained. “Even if Rwanda wins and we draw here, we have a better overall goal difference, which would secure our place.
”Despite the mathematical calculations, Rohr remains optimistic. He praised Benin as one of the most improved teams in the group, second only to the already-qualified Super Eagles. He also expressed confidence that Nigeria, playing at home, would not succumb to Rwanda.
“Based on our performances across the five rounds of matches, I believe we deserve the second ticket behind the Super Eagles,” he said. “We’ve shown consistent improvement and have proven to be a competitive side in this group.
”As the final games loom, all eyes will be on Tripoli and Uyo to see if Rohr’s confidence in his team will translate into a coveted spot at Morocco 2025.
