National Teams
World Cup Qualifier: Finidi George shifts focus to Benin clash after Bafana draw
By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria head coach Finidi George has shifted his focus to the upcoming encounter against Benin Republic despite the disappointing performance against South Africa.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s second-half strike cancelled out Themba Zwane’s opener for Bafana Bafana, salvaging a point for the Super Eagles.
Finidi acknowledged the team’s below-par first half but emphasized their improved performance in the second half. Despite conceding first, he believes the draw was preferable to a loss, maintaining a positive outlook for the team’s next game.
“Overall, it was not a bad second half from our side. I felt we should have done a little bit better, enter the game a little bit quicker it didn’t happen so we conceded that goal,” Finidi stated at the post-match conference.
“But I think the players reacted so well in the second half. It is not the best result that we wanted but a draw is better than losing and we will get our heads up and see how we can win the next match.“
With Nigeria slipping to the fifth position in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group and still without a win, the team faces a crucial fixture against Benin Republic on Monday, June 10 in Abidjan.
Finidi will be looking for a much-improved performance from his players as they aim to secure their first victory in the qualifiers.
