In a surprising turn of events, Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup have been thrown into jeopardy following a 2-1 defeat to Benin. The Super Eagles, who had drawn their first three qualifying matches, suffered a setback on Monday evening, leaving them fifth in their six-team group.

The match began on a positive note for Nigeria, with Raphael Onyedika scoring a beautiful goal from the edge of the area within the first 30 minutes. However, the tide turned just before half-time. Jodel Dossou capitalized on a defensive mix-up to equalize for Benin, and former Huddersfield striker Steve Mounie scored in stoppage time, leaving Nigeria trailing at the break.

Despite their efforts, Nigeria was unable to mount a comeback in the second half. Their former coach, Gernot Rohr, who is now in charge of Benin, had a successful reunion at the expense of the Super Eagles.

With just three points from their first four games, Nigeria now finds themselves in a precarious position. Benin leads Group C with seven points, but Lesotho, with a game in hand, could potentially overtake them. Only the top team in the group is guaranteed a place at the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, while the four best runners-up will have a chance to qualify through a play-off.

The Super Eagles now face the daunting task of improving their performance in their final six qualifying matches. After a lengthy break, their campaign resumes against Rwanda in March next year. This will be followed by a home game against Zimbabwe a week later, and then fixtures against Rwanda, South Africa, Lesotho, and Benin later in 2025.

As the stakes rise, Nigeria will need to dig deep to keep their World Cup dreams alive.