Benin Republic's head coach, Gernot Rohr, has expressed optimism despite acknowledging the challenges posed by the AFCON 2025 qualifying draw, which once again pits his team against Nigeria, according to a report by Vanguard.
In a recent statement, Rohr reflected on the difficulty of the draw, stating, "It’s a difficult draw, because there’s Nigeria again. And we have Rwanda, an adversary that we know well and of whom we are wary."
Rohr, who previously managed the Nigerian national team for six years, remains confident in Benin Republic's ability to compete against their more illustrious neighbors. The optimism stems from the Squirrels' recent 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a result that showcased their potential to upset established footballing powers.
Looking ahead to the AFCON 2025 qualifiers set to kick off in September, Rohr emphasized the competitive nature of the group, which also includes Libya. "There is also Libya who have a good team, it will be a difficult trip there," Rohr added, highlighting the challenges his team will face throughout the qualifying campaign.
The draw places Benin Republic in a challenging position, tasked with navigating past tough opponents to secure qualification for the prestigious AFCON tournament.