By Dayo Awoniyi
Former Nigeria head coach Gernot Rohr has tipped Nigeria and DR Congo to reach the final of the African World Cup playoff series taking place in Morocco later this month.
Speaking from Cotonou, where he now manages the Benin Republic national team, Rohr expressed confidence in Nigeria’s chances ahead of their crucial semifinal clash against Gabon on November 13.
“Gabon and Nigeria are two strong teams,” Rohr told NationSport.
“I know some of the Gabonese players from my time there — Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Bruno Ecuele Manga — they’re quality players. But overall, Nigeria have greater depth and talent. If they play with unity and discipline, like they did against Benin, I believe they can overcome Gabon.”
The Franco-German tactician, who previously coached Gabon between 2010 and 2012, also shared his thoughts on the other semifinal between Cameroon and DR Congo, predicting a narrow win for the Congolese side.
“It will be a tight contest between Cameroon and DR Congo,” Rohr said. “But DR Congo have some top-level talents, and Cameroon’s internal challenges could distract them. My guess is a Nigeria versus DR Congo final.”
The winners of the African playoff final will advance to the intercontinental playoff in Mexico next March, where they will compete against representatives from other continents for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
