Benin Republic head coach, Gernot Rohr, has blamed poor officiating for his team’s 4-0 defeat to Nigeria in their final 2026 World Cup qualifying match, insisting that several key referee decisions went against his side.

Rohr, who once managed the Super Eagles, questioned the validity of Victor Osimhen’s two first-half goals, claiming there were fouls in the buildup that should have been called.

“Our only regrets concern the first two goals conceded in Nigeria in the decisive match. These situations would have deserved, in my opinion, a different decision and would have allowed us to obtain more justice,” Rohr told CAFonline.

Despite the heavy loss, the German coach praised his players for their determination and overall performance throughout the qualifiers. Benin finished the campaign with 17 points, the same as Nigeria, and were notably the only team in Group C to defeat the Super Eagles.

“We finished the World Cup qualifiers with 17 points, as many as Nigeria, which already constitutes a significant confidence boost,” he added. “We were the only team to beat Nigeria in Abidjan, while they remained undefeated in all other matches.”

According to Gossip News Now, although Benin Republic have exited the 2026 World Cup qualification race, the Super Eagles remain in contention. Nigeria will face Gabon in the CAF play-offs this November in Morocco, with hopes of advancing to the FIFA Play-offs scheduled for March 2026.