Benin Republic’s head coach Abdoulaye Ouzerou remains confident his team can cause a major upset against Nigeria’s Super Falcons. The decisive return leg of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier takes place today in Abeokuta.
Following a 2-0 defeat in the first leg in Lomé, the Beninese squad faces a significant challenge. However, Ouzerou emphasizes his players gained crucial insights from the initial match. He insists they’ll approach today’s fixture with renewed determination.
“We now understand Nigeria’s playing style better after our first encounter,” Ouzerou stated during the pre-match press conference. “Our young team will seize every opportunity. We believe we can overcome this deficit.”
The Benin squad arrived in Nigeria on Sunday. They completed their final preparations with a training session on Monday. The team aims to overturn the first-leg result.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons hold a comfortable advantage heading into the match. They dominated the first encounter with goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo. Both strikes came from assists by Deborah Abiodun.
Head coach Justine Madugu conducted training sessions on Sunday and Monday. Nigeria seeks to secure qualification for the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco. The Falcons aim to defend their continental title won earlier this year.
Match officials include center referee Dominique Rosa Hanjavola from Madagascar. She’ll be assisted by Claris Simango and Hasimbola Rasoloniaina. Grace Gimo serves as fourth official.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 PM at Abeokuta’s MKO Abiola Sports Arena. The winner advances to the next qualification round.
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