Troost-Ekong Rallies Super Eagles for AFCON Qualification Battle Against Benin
Nigeria Needs Just One Point to Secure Morocco 2025 Spot
The Super Eagles have commenced preparations for their crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against The Cheetahs of Benin Republic, with defender William Troost-Ekong leading the charge at their first training session at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan. Twenty-two players participated in the initial training, with only Spain-based forward Sadiq Umar expected to join the squad early Wednesday.
“The stadium is a familiar one for us and we have good memories from the AFCON. We will rather focus on the positive results we have taken away from here and work hard for another good day in the office on Thursday,” Ekong told the NFF.com, emphasizing the team’s determination to secure qualification.
Squad Assembly
The Nigerian team, currently leading Group D with 10 points from four matches and maintaining a clean sheet with seven goals scored, has assembled a strong squad including Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen and AFCON Man of the Competition William Ekong. Notable arrivals include Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, among others.
Coach Austin Eguavoen expressed optimism about the team’s preparations: “We have 22 players, with only one person to join the team in the early hours of Wednesday. It has been a particularly great atmosphere here in Abidjan, and we are all very positive going into the first training session ahead of the match.”
Match Officials and Key Details
Senegalese referee Issa Sy, who officiated Nigeria’s 1-0 victory over Angola in the recent AFCON quarter-finals at the same venue, will oversee the match. The game is scheduled for 8 pm Nigeria time (7 pm CIV time) on Thursday, with Sy supported by fellow Senegalese officials Djibril Camara and Nouha Bangoura as assistants.
The Super Eagles enter the match needing just a single point to secure their place in the 35th AFCON tournament, scheduled for Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. The team returns to the stadium where they previously recorded victories against Guinea Bissau, Cameroon, and Angola during the 34th AFCON, though they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Benin in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the same venue last summer.
