Benin Republic women’s head coach, Abdoulaye Ouzerou, says his team arrived in Abeokuta fully convinced they could defeat Nigeria in their WAFCON qualification second leg, despite ultimately falling short of progression.
Speaking after the match — which ended 1–1 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, sealing Nigeria’s qualification with a 3–1 aggregate victory — Ouzerou revealed that his players went into the game with a strong belief that they could upset the odds against the nine-time African champions.
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“We came here to win. That was always our mindset,” the coach said in a translated statement. “I told the players before kickoff that Nigeria might be the champions of Africa, but they are still human. We can compete with anyone if we play with courage and discipline.”
The Benin coach expressed pride in his players’ commitment, saying their fighting spirit and organization on the pitch reflected the team’s growing maturity. He particularly praised his squad for showing no fear in front of a home Nigerian crowd and for responding well after falling behind to Ashleigh Plumptre’s first-half strike.
“When Nigeria scored, some teams would have collapsed,” Ouzerou said. “But my players refused to give up. They stayed focused, pressed harder, and were rewarded with a goal. That shows character, and that’s what we are building.”
He admitted, however, that while the result was satisfying in performance terms, he would have preferred to crown the effort with a win.
“We are happy with the draw, but it could have been more,” he concluded. “Now we must continue developing. We want to be among the best on the continent in the coming years.”
Despite their elimination, Benin Republic’s spirited display in Abeokuta earned widespread praise from fans and analysts, who commended the team’s resilience against one of Africa’s footballing powerhouses.
