Benin coach Gernot Rohr has questioned the fairness of the officiating during his side’s 4-0 defeat to Nigeria on 14 October 2025, insisting that the first two goals scored by Victor Osimhen should not have stood, Footynaija.com reports.
Rohr, whose team had started the day top of Group C in the World Cup qualifiers, believes those early setbacks changed the rhythm of the contest and ultimately cost Benin a World Cup spot.
Nigeria started strongly in Uyo and broke the deadlock as early as the third minute through Osimhen, a goal the coach protested due to what he felt was an offside position.
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The team’s frustration grew when the Galatasaray striker added a second before half-time, with some arguing there had been contact in the build-up and that one of their defenders had been impeded before the ball hit the net.
The hosts went on to control the match and complete a dominant performance with further goals from Osimhen and Frank Onyeka, sealing a 4-0 victory that lifted the Super Eagles above Benin on goal difference. That night erased the Cheetahs’ lead at the top of the group and left their dream of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in tatters.
Speaking in an interview with CAF Online, Rohr reflected on that decisive night, saying the decisions that led to the first two goals were unfair.
“Our only regrets concern the first two goals conceded in Nigeria in the decisive match,” the German tactician said. “These situations would have deserved, in my opinion, a different decision and would have allowed us to obtain more justice,” he explained.
The 71-year-old, who previously managed the Super Eagles between 2016 and 2021, however, admitted that the entire qualifying campaign gave his team valuable experience ahead of the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
“I think it can indeed serve as a springboard, especially as a rich experience,” Rohr added.
“We finished with 17 points, as many as Nigeria, which already constitutes a significant confidence boost.”
