Benin Republic’s women’s team coach Ouzerou Abdoulay has explained the emotional reason behind his tears after Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Nigeria’s Super Falcons. The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Abeokuta saw Abdoulay visibly overcome with emotion at full-time.
The coach revealed his reaction was connected to personal health challenges. “I’ve endured difficult health struggles recently,” Abdoulay told reporters. “Those close to our team understand this. Many emotions surfaced because health remains paramount.”
Benin’s Valiant Performance
Despite exiting the competition 3-1 on aggregate, Benin earned admiration for their disciplined display against Africa’s dominant team. Nigeria took a 13th-minute lead through Ashleigh Plumptre’s header from Esther Okoronkwo’s corner – the defender’s first international goal.
Benin equalized dramatically when Yasmine Djibril converted a superb second-half free kick. Abdoulay expressed special pride in Djibril’s strike due to their close relationship. “That goal meant much coming from Yasmine,” he noted. “She’s like a daughter to me.”
“Scoring under pressure before this crowd was itself a victory. It brought us level and filled me with immense pride.” The result sees Nigeria advance to the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco while Benin’s campaign concludes.
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