Gernot Rohr leads Benin’s Cheetahs into Cote d’Ivoire camp ahead of crucial clash against Nigeria

The Cheetahs of Benin Republic have officially kicked off their preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers with a training camp in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Soccernet.ng reports.

The West African nation, under the guidance of head coach Gernot Rohr, is gearing up for a highly anticipated clash against Nigeria’s Super Eagles, set to take place this Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

The Benin team, which has been accommodated at the Sofitel Hotel in Abidjan, began their training sessions on Monday morning.

The 25-man squad, selected by Rohr, includes some of the nation’s top talents, as they look to build on their recent success over Nigeria — a 2-1 victory during the World Cup qualifiers in June.

“I wish them (Super Eagles) luck, but certainly not against my team because we want to win again,” Rohr confidently remarked. “I’m familiar with the environment, the players, and everything. I’m confident that we will leave Nigeria with a positive result.”

The Cheetahs are scheduled to arrive in Uyo on Thursday, where they will finalise their preparations.

Their mandatory training session at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium is planned for Friday, just a day before the crucial match.

Following the encounter with Nigeria, Benin will return to Abidjan to face Libya in their second qualifier, to be held at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium next Tuesday.

Nigeria will also head to Kigali where the Super Eagles will lock horns with Rwanda.

The three-time African champions have also officially opened camp today in Uyo for the two AFCON qualifiers, with seven players already landing in the country from their different bases.

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, now based in Saudi Arabia, is already in the national team camp alongside Atalanta's Ademola Lookman, Lazio's Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and Nottingham Forest duo of Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi.