Nigeria will need to lift their standards in the second half against Benin if they are to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations at the end of Thursday's game in Abidjan.
The Super Eagles trail to an early goal from Mohamed Tijani, who made the most of some slack marking following a short corner to head past Stanley Nwabali.
Benin fully deserved their lead and threatened to score a second before Nigeria belatedly began to assert some pressure. Victor Osimhen really should have equalised before the break, but he headed wide when completely unmarked just six yards from goal.
Victory in this game would guarantee Nigeria's place in the 2025 finals in Morocco with a game to spare.
The Sporting News is providing live score updates for this match.
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Benin vs. Nigeria score 2nd HalfGoal scorersBenin1Tijani 16'Nigeria0—Starting lineups:
Benin (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Marcel Dandjinou (GK) — 11. Abdoul Rachid Moumini, 5. Yohan Roche, 13. Mohamed Tijani, 3. Tamimou Ouorou — 15. Sessi D'Almeida, 8. Hassane Imourane — 10. Tosin Aiyegun, 19. Dokou Dodo, 18. Junior Olaitan — 9. Steve Mounie
Nigeria (3-4-3, right to left): 23. Stanley Nwabali (GK) — 6. Gabriel Osho, 5. William Troost-Ekong, 21. Calvin Bassey — 2. Ola Aina, 4. Wilfred Ndidi, 17. Alex Iwobi, 13. Bruno Onyemaechi — 14. Kelechi Iheanacho, 9. Victor Osimhen, 7. Ademola Lookman
MORE: Can Nigeria still qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
AFCON 2025 qualifying Group D standingsNigeria start the day in first place in the standings after the opening two matchdays. They have a four-point gap to the rest of the field and will qualify for the finals with a win.
PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD1.Nigeria4103-1-072.Benin462-0-203.Rwanda451-2-1-24.Libya410-1-3-5Nigeria lineup, team news and full squad for Benin matchStar striker Victor Osimhen is fit and firing once again with eight goals in nine appearances for Galatasaray this season as he returns to Super Eagles duty.
Real Sociedad forward Sadiq Umar provides another option in attack on his first call-up since suffering an ACL injury.
Defender Olisa Ndah is absent once more alongside West Brom's Semi Ajayi, with Augustine Eguavoen bolstering his defensive roster with Auxerre's Gabriel Osho and Victor Collins of Nigerian club Nasarawa United.
Nigeria starting XI (3-4-3, right to left): Nwabali (GK) — Osho, Troost-Ekong, Bassey — Aina, Ndidi, Iwobi, Onyemaechi — Iheanacho, Osimhen, Lookman
Nigeria subs: Okoye, Obasogie, Boniface, Oyeka, Simon, Umar, Alhassan, Collins, Dele-Bashiru, Chukwueze, Osayi-Samuel, Onyedika
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali, Maduka Okoye, Amas Obasogie
Defenders: William Ekong, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Bruno Onyemaechi, Gabriel Osho, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, Victor Collins
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Alhassan Yusuf, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi
Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Boniface, Moses Simon, Sadiq Umar
What time does Benin vs. Nigeria kick off?This AFCON qualifying clash takes place at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and kicks off at 7:00 p.m. local time. Benin does not have a stadium with adequate facilities to the game.
Here's how that kickoff time translates across some of the major global territories:
DateKickoff timeUSAThu, Nov. 142 p.m. ETCanadaThu, Nov. 142 p.m. ETAustraliaFri, Nov. 156 a.m. AEDTUKThu, Nov. 147 p.m. GMTIndiaFri, Nov. 1512:30 a.m. ISTBenin vs. Nigeria stats, head-to-head recordNigeria have won 14 of the 18 meetings between these teams, dating back to consecutive 7-0 friendly victories in 1977 and 1978.
However, they lost their last official away match against these opponents, falling to a 2-1 defeat in World Cup qualifying in June this year.
Benin winsDrawsNigeria wins2214
