Boluwatife Kehinde
Benin’s national team head coach, Abdoulaye Ouzerou, has expressed strong confidence in his players as they prepare to face the defending champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria.
Benin will compete against Nigeria in the second qualifying round of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
As the highly anticipated match approaches, Ouzerou emphasised that his team will rely on their mental strength to offset any physical and technical disadvantages against the ten-time African champions.
“We’re going to depend on our heart,” Ouzerou stated after unveiling his squad. “If you’re physically and technically inferior, you must compensate mentally. And mentally, we are ready. We’ll rely heavily on that spirit.”
“There’s no possible comparison in terms of physicality and technical skills; we understand that, we’re not naïve. But mentally, I believe we can bridge those gaps,” he added.
Despite Nigeria’s strong reputation in women’s football, Ouzerou remains undeterred and believes his team can cause an upset in the two-legged tie.
The first leg is scheduled for Thursday, October 23, at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo, while Nigeria will host the return leg at the Moshood Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta on Tuesday, October 28.
Ouzerou’s remarks suggest that he is relying on his players’ mental strength to achieve what would be a notable upset in African women’s football.
Nigeria, the defending champions and overwhelming favourites to progress, has dominated African women’s football for decades, winning the continental title a record ten times.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria and Benin’s women’s team have only met once officially, in 2018, with Nigeria winning that match 1–0. While Nigeria remains a dominant force in African women’s football with multiple WAFCON titles, Benin’s team is still developing and pursuing its first breakthrough.
Although Nigeria is the clear favourite, this match provides Benin with an opportunity to test its progress and potentially ignite a new rivalry in African women’s football.
