‘Defeat caused a lot of frustration’ - Ex-Super Eagles coach reveals how Nigeria’s defeat affected the dressing room

Heading into the final round of group fixtures in the qualifiers, Benin were the unexpected leaders of Group C.

The Cheetahs stood on the brink of history, with a victory against Nigeria all that was needed to secure their first-ever World Cup appearance.

However, they suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat in Nigeria, with Victor Osimhen being the standout performer, scoring a brilliant hat-trick that sealed Benin's fate.

Reflecting on the painful outcome, Rohr acknowledged how close his team had come to realising their ultimate ambition.

"It's true that the heavy defeat in Nigeria caused a lot of frustration within the staff and the dressing room since we saw this World Cup very closely," Rohr explained to Joueurs Beninois.

The coach also identified key weaknesses that need to be addressed, particularly in his team's defensive organisation.

"The areas for improvement are mainly defensive discipline," he noted. "There are still a lot of mistakes, as we saw against Nigeria."

With their World Cup aspirations now over, Benin will shift focus to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where it is set to face Senegal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Botswana.