Benin: Gernot Rohr missing five players ahead of the clash with Nigeria

Weakened by several major absences, Benin will nevertheless try to retain the top spot in Group C against Nigeria this Tuesday, in a decisive clash for qualification to the 2026 World Cup.

Benin’s coach, Gernot Rohr, will have to do without five key players for the decisive match against Nigeria this Tuesday, as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The Franco-German coach confirmed in a press conference that several absences will weigh heavily on his squad. Yohan Roche and Sessi D’Almeida are suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards, while two other players are injured.

“We’re going to be missing five players in total. It’s not easy, because we don’t have the same depth as Nigeria”, Rohr acknowledged, before adding: “But the team spirit is excellent and our collective remains solid. We can still believe.”

Despite these withdrawals, the Cheetahs go into this match from a position of strength: they top Group C with 17 points, ahead of Nigeria and South Africa. Kick-off for the Nigeria–Benin match will be at 5:00 PM Benin time.