Benin Republic star Steve Mounié has revealed that the Cheetahs have the advantage of a full day’s rest over Nigeria ahead of their meeting on Monday evening, Soccernet.ng reports.
With none of their home grounds fit for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Benin will host Nigeria at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan for their matchday four clash.
The Super Eagles, boasting top talents like Ademola Lookman and Victor Boniface, are heavy favourites to secure their first win of the campaign against the Cheetahs.
Historically, Nigeria have never lost a competitive game against the Benin Republic, brandishing an incredible record of 12 wins and two draws against their West African neighbours.
However, Benin arrive for this encounter on the back of their impressive 1-0 win also in Abidjan over Rwanda on Thursday, June 6, a day after Nigeria wobbled to a disappointing 1-1 draw with South Africa.
That extra day of rest for the non-travelling Cheetahs, Mounié believes, hands Gernot Rohr’s men the edge ahead of a Nigerian side that only landed in Abidjan on Sunday, 24 hours before kickoff.
“The advantage is that we had one more day of recovery compared to Nigeria. We are going to give it our all,” the Stade Brestois striker said, as per 24haubenin.
Benin Republic have never qualified for the World Cup and have only appeared at one of the last seven editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
