Big boost for Nigeria as Benin’s star defender remains sidelined ahead of AFCON qualifier

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are slated to tackle the Republic of Benin in the second leg of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have received a significant boost ahead of their crucial 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier, with Benin set to miss key defender Cedric Hountondji in their upcoming clash, Soccernet.ng reports.

The central defender, known for his strength and reliability at the back, sustained an ankle injury before Benin’s last match against Rwanda in September and has yet to recover.

The 30-year-old Hountondji has not appeared for his club, Angers SCO, since the setback, which has led to doubts about his availability for Benin’s next international fixtures against Nigeria and Libya.

Despite his team’s successful outing against Rwanda in the first leg, his absence was notable in the return fixture, where the Cheetahs suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat.

The absence of the defensive mainstay for Benin is a substantial loss for head coach Gernot Rohr’s squad as they strive to maintain their qualifying hopes.

Currently sitting second in their group with six points, a win against Nigeria could prove crucial for Benin’s path to the 2025 AFCON.

Meanwhile, Hountondji’s ongoing absence was recently confirmed by Angers head coach Alexandre Dujeux, who excluded him from the squad traveling to face AS Monaco.

With no confirmed timeline for his return, Hountondji’s injury leaves a notable gap in Benin’s backline which boosts Nigeria’s advantage as they prepare for the clash.

This post was last modified on November 1, 2024 11:24 am

Ayomide Oguntimehin

Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and an Editor at Soccernet.ng, with a proven track record in conducting interviews with Super Eagles stars such as William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ademola Lookman, and many others. He has also made a significant impact in breaking transfer news stories. Grounded in video editing, video journalism, social media management, and content strategy, Ayomide brings a wealth of expertise to his work. With a Bachelor's degree in English Language from Adeyemi College of Education and a Master's Degree in School Library and Media Technology from the University of Ibadan, Ayomide is well-prepared to excel in the field.

View Comments

  • Earn income while simply working online. work from home whenever you want. just for maximum 2 hours a day you can make more than $500 per day online. from this i made $17632 last month in my spare time.

    Check info here…………. W­w­w.Workjoin7.C­o­m

Share
Published by
Ayomide Oguntimehin

Recent Posts

Napoli reject first official bid for Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen amid Arsenal and Man United link

Napoli have turned down an initial €65 million bid from Galatasaray for Victor Osimhen, with… Read More

34 minutes ago

Sevilla FC: Nigerian prospect Ola Great receives trial invitation from La Liga club

Nigerian footballer Ola Great has received an official trial invitation from the Spanish La Liga… Read More

1 hour ago

Former Super Eagles midfielder reveals what Nigeria need to win AFCON 2025

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Sylvanus Okpala, has revealed what the Nigerian team need to emerge… Read More

6 hours ago

“He’ll train again tomorrow” – Alonso welcomes Boniface with open arms following scuffed Al-Nassr deal

Bayer 04 Leverkusen head coach, Xabi Alonso, has confirmed Super Eagles striker, Victor Okoh Boniface,… Read More

7 hours ago

Nottingham Forest could be tempted as Everton weigh up £33m offer for Super Eagles star

Nine-time English Premier League Champions, Everton, are looking to sign Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest… Read More

8 hours ago