Benin Republic women’s national team head coach Abdoulaye Ouzerou went into the return leg of his side’s 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria insisting that the tie was still alive, despite the two-goal deficit from the first meeting. Ahead of the October 28, 2025 clash in Abeokuta, he said his players had grown in belief after facing the Super Falcons once already and would approach the second leg with far more confidence.
The Benin Amazons had lost 2-0 in the first leg in Lomé on October 24, leaving them with a difficult task against Africa’s most decorated women’s national team. Nigeria took command of that opening encounter through goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo, while Deborah Abiodun provided both assists in a performance that gave the Falcons a strong advantage heading home.
Even with that setback, Ouzerou refused to sound defeated. He said one of the biggest differences before the return fixture was that Benin now had a clearer understanding of the Nigerian side, having already played against them days earlier. In his assessment, that familiarity could help his youthful team compete with greater courage and sharper decision-making in the second leg.
According to Gossip News Now, the Benin coach leaned heavily on belief and mentality as the foundation of his optimism. Earlier in the build-up to the tie, he had openly admitted that Nigeria held superior physical and technical quality on paper, but argued that heart, discipline and mental strength could help his team bridge part of that gap.
His message before the return leg was simple: Benin had not come to Abeokuta merely to complete the fixture. Instead, he suggested they would fight for every chance available and try to turn the contest into a real test for the reigning African champions. That sense of determination became a major part of the pre-match narrative, especially because the Amazons were trying to overturn a scoreline that, while difficult, was not mathematically impossible.
Nigeria, for their part, were equally focused on finishing the job professionally. The Super Falcons resumed training in Abeokuta after the first-leg win, with head coach Justine Madugu using sessions on Sunday and Monday to prepare his team for the decisive encounter. Their objective was clear: protect the advantage, secure passage to Morocco 2026, and continue the defence of the continental crown they won earlier that year.
Match arrangements also underlined the importance of the occasion. CAF appointed Madagascar’s Dominique Rosa Hanjavola as referee, with Claris Simango of Zimbabwe and Hasimbola Rasoloniaina of Madagascar serving as assistant referees, while Grace Gimo was named fourth official. The game was set for 4:00 p.m. at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta.
Commentary and Analysis
Ouzerou’s confidence was notable because it reflected the mindset smaller teams often need when facing giants like Nigeria. Even when the technical gap is obvious, coaches try to build belief around momentum, emotional energy and the idea that one early goal can completely change the psychology of a tie.
For Benin, the bigger message was about ambition as much as qualification. A strong performance against the Super Falcons would still matter, even if overturning the aggregate score proved too difficult. It was a chance to show progress, resilience and a willingness to compete against one of the continent’s strongest teams.
Nigeria, however, entered the match in a position of control. With a 2-0 lead, home support and the confidence of a dominant first-leg display, the Super Falcons remained clear favourites. That made Ouzerou’s bold tone understandable: when the odds are against you, belief becomes one of the few weapons you can fully control.
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