'A team that is respected' - Eguavoen defends Super Eagles after underwhelming display against Benin

Austin Eguavoen, the interim head coach of the Super Eagles, has responded to concerns about the team's underwhelming performance against Benin on Thursday night.

The Super Eagles clinched their spot in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco, despite the shaky performance in the 1-1 draw against Benin at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

The match began on a challenging note for Nigeria, as Benin took an early lead in the 16th minute.

Mohamed Tijani capitalized on a well-placed cross from Junior Olaitan, converting with a precise header that put the Eagles on the back foot.

For much of the match, Nigeria struggled to find their rhythm, trailing behind their opponents and facing criticism for a seemingly lackadaisical approach.

However, the Super Eagles managed to equalize just nine minutes before the final whistle, thanks to a powerful header from Victor Osimhen, who connected with a cross from Moses Simon.

The goal sparked jubilant celebrations among the Nigerian supporters in attendance, as the point was enough to secure their qualification for the biennial tournament.

With this draw, Nigeria leads their group with 11 points, comfortably ahead of Benin, who sits in second place with seven points.

The Eagles have already secured their place in Morocco following Rwanda's 1-0 loss to Libya.

In the aftermath of the match, Eguavoen addressed the concerns surrounding his team's performance, dismissing claims that the players were complacent due to their qualification status.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards and competitive spirit, stating, "Coming into this game we haven't lost a game. So we have to maintain that standard and try to win the game, worst case scenario draw."

Eguavoen further asserted, "We want to qualify without losing a game and we knew we're capable of, we have all the qualities whatever it takes to beat anybody anytime. Then it was more of under pressure but we didn't look at that."

"Nigeria is a team that is respected, almost won the AFCON the last time, so we have to maintain that standard."

Adeyemi Adewale

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