Nigeria vs Benin Betting Predictions
Nigeria vs. Benin begins the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for Group L gigs. If FIFA's latest world rankings are any indication, this is the toughest match for both sides in the group. Nigeria ranks 3rd in the CAF, while Benin comes in at 18th in Africa. AFCON Group L also features Sierra Leone and Lesotho, neither of which comes close to cracking the world's top 100.
The Super Eagles entertain The Squirrels, as they are affectionately known, at the Akwa Ibom Stadium. The Nigerian national team ended its 2019 AFCON campaign on a rather sour note when it crashed out of the semi-finals against Algeria courtesy of a late Riyad Mahrez goal. The West African team was able to dust itself off and won the third-place match by a single goal against old nemesis Tunisia.
Nigeria vs Benin Preview
On paper, the Super Eagles have a far better team. Their squad players feature in the top European clubs every week. The former African champions will seek to start their campaign solidly before heading to Lesotho for next weekend's game. Odds-makers have Nigeria favoured to win the game, with Benin likely to provide some resistance.
By any measure, Benin is not a weakling. The Squirrels have a solid defense, one of the strong features of the squad. They are considered the second-best team in the group and will easily qualify for AFCON 2021 ahead of Sierra Leone and Lesotho. If their performance in the continental tournament earlier this year is any indicator, they can hold their own. They defeated the highly-rated Morocco in the round of 16 and only lost to the runner-up Senegal by a single goal in the quarter-finals.
Ensure that you witness the contest between Nigeria and Benin, and stake your claim on the victor by day's end.