Morocco 2025 Q/F: Balloon d'Or Nominee, Lookman on fire, cages Cheetahs

Posted : 07 September 2024

Nigeria-born Ballon d'Or nominee Ademola Lookman gave the Super Eagles a bright start in the Morocco 2025 African Cup of Nations on Saturday, bagging a brace, while Galatasaray FC loanee Victor Osimhen also found the net in a 3-0 rout of the Cheetahs of Benin Republic.

In the first match of the AFCON qualifiers at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, the Super Eagles avenged their previous defeat to the Cheetahs.

Lookman was a constant threat to the Beninese defense from start to finish. He got on the scoresheet at the end of the first half, comfortably nutmegging four defenders before tapping the ball past goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou in the 45+3rd minute.

Victor Osimhen, who came on as a substitute for Victor Boniface, received a well-timed pass from midfield maestro Ndifreke Ndidi and stylishly scored Nigeria’s second goal in the 78th minute.

SC Nice of France winger Simon Moses then assisted Lookman, who wasted no time in completing his brace in the 83rd minute.

Benin Republic tried to pull one back, but the defensive partnership of stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong and Semilore Ajayi successfully repelled their attacking threats.

Nigeria had 13-4 shots at goal, with 5-3 shots on target. They completed 475-373 passes, controlling 57-43 percent of possession. Nigeria also had 15-7 fouls with 2-1 yellow cards, while the Egyptian referee signaled 4-1 offsides. However, Nigeria struggled with set pieces, wasting a 7-2 corner kick advantage.

Benin Republic featured four Nigerian-born players—J. Olaitan, Femi Dosu, T. Ayegun, and A. Moumini—who once played in Lagos and tried to check the Super Eagles' advances.

Since 2004, both teams have met 10 times, with Nigeria winning 8 matches and scoring 16 goals, while Benin has won twice, scoring 5 goals.

The Uyo victory did not surpass Nigeria's biggest win over the then-Squirrels of Benin, a 4-0 triumph on April 9, 2010, in an international friendly.

Benin's only victory against Nigeria came in a 1-0 win at the Nations Cup on August 13, 2017. On August 19, 2017, Nigeria defeated the Cheetahs 2-0. Nigeria won a WAFU encounter by a lone goal on September 21, 2017, followed by a 2-1 victory in an AFCON match on November 13, 2019. Nigeria also beat Benin 1-0 in an AFCON qualifier on March 27, 2021, before Nigeria’s former coach Gernot Rohr led Benin to a 2-1 win over Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier on June 10, 2021, in Abidjan.

Nigeria still has two upcoming matches against Benin Republic—an AFCON qualifier on November 11 and a World Cup qualifier on October 13, 2025.

Morocco 2025 Q/F: Balloon d'Or Nominee, Lookman on fire, cages Cheetahs

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