Benin Republic head coach Gernot Rohr praised his team’s character and desire after their stunning 2-1 victory over Nigeria in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on Monday.

In a post-match press conference, the German tactician criticized the mentality of the Super Eagles players.

Despite taking an early lead through Raphael Onyedika’s first international goal, Nigeria faltered and conceded twice within twelve minutes.

This marked a significant achievement orchestrated by Rohr, who previously coached the Super Eagles from 2016 to 2021.

Speaking to the media, Rohr pointed out Nigeria’s lapse in concentration and emphasized the importance of team solidarity.

“The full back alone can’t do it, because they can dribble and can score the goals. So we need the solidarity,” Rohr remarked.

Rohr noted that while Nigeria may have thought the game was secured after their initial goal, his team’s strong reaction and desire enabled their comeback.

“We had the right organization, Nigeria scored the first goal, perhaps, they believed it was already done.

“But the reaction, the desire of my team was so strong that they could come back to win the match,” he said,