Super Eagles midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru has expressed his confidence in the team’s preparedness to face the Benin Republic in their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture.
Despite being favorites to win the game, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru said he and his teammates remain focused and cautious, recognizing the unpredictability of football.
Note that the Super Eagles of Nigeria will face Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, at 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 7.
Recall that the last time the two teams met was during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match in June, which Benin Republic won 2-1, to the surprise of many football enthusiasts.
In an interview with Punch ahead of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic, Dele-Bashiru emphasized the importance of maintaining maximum concentration and not underestimating their opponents.
The 23-year-old, who is on loan at Lazio from Süper Lig club Hatayspor, said, “We saw the last time we played that it wasn’t an easy match. We scored the first goal but lost concentration, and they went 2-1 up, and from there it became a very difficult match. We were defending a lot. We have to be ready for this, and that is why we can’t overlook this game.”
He added, “We will go for all three points, but we can’t overlook any team that we are going to play against; we have to go into the game with the mindset that we are going to win, and we have to be 100 per cent in the game because the AFCON is a big competition and we want to qualify, and all of Nigerians want us to qualify.”
