Benin Republic head coach, Gernot Rohr, has made it clear that his return to Nigeria has nothing to do with emotions but everything to do with the business of securing a World Cup ticket.
The former Super Eagles manager, who now leads the Cheetahs of the Benin Republic, is just one step away from making history by guiding the tiny West African nation to their first-ever FIFA World Cup. Benin currently tops Group C with 17 points from nine matches, sitting above South Africa and Nigeria.
Speaking with journalists in Uyo ahead of Tuesday’s high-stakes clash at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Gernot Rohr said his focus is solely on his team’s qualification dream.
“I have a lot of friends in Nigeria, even in this team. Some of the players here are ones I brought into the squad,” Rohr said. “But this is not a moment for emotions or memories. The focus is on a big match, and we’ll all be there to witness it.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m., and the stakes couldn’t be higher. While Benin need only a draw to seal qualification, the Super Eagles must win by at least two goals to keep their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico alive.
Rohr, who coached Nigeria from 2016 to 2021, warned that his team is no stranger to tough away battles. Due to CAF’s stadium restrictions, Benin have played all their qualifying matches outside their home country.
“When you see that we played all the matches away, not one match at home,” Rohr explained. “We are used to playing away and having some finals. We also had it in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. We also had the last game very difficult in Libya under very special circumstances. Nigeria saw how it is there, and we won there in a very bad atmosphere.”
The 70-year-old German tactician believes that the experience of constantly playing on the road has toughened his squad and given them the mental edge to face Nigeria in Uyo.
“We go for a win but we know that we have to be patient and we know that Nigeria has only a chance if they win, so I believe it will be a very open match,” he added.
Despite the rivalry and tension surrounding the fixture, Rohr called for calm, reminding everyone that football should unite, not divide.
“It’s not a war, it’s a football game. Whatever the result will be, we will leave here and we will stay friends,” Rohr told reporters. “Now the moment for us is to be ready, to be relaxed and to have a good game tomorrow.”
With South Africa also set to face Rwanda in the group’s other fixture, Tuesday’s matches will decide who earns a direct ticket to North America next summer.
Spanish Club UD Almería have announced that they will donate all ticket sales revenue from their home match against CD Tenerife to support the family of Jesús de Miguel.
The initiative was established by club president Mohammed Al Khereiji as the Spanish club seeks to provide financial assistance to the bereaved family following their loss.
Announcing the decision, the club expressed its sympathy and acknowledged that no amount of financial assistance could make up for the loss of a loved one.
As reported by ESPN on Wednesday, the club was quoted as saying, “We are fully aware that nothing can ever compensate for the loss of a loved one, and that no form of support, whether financial or emotional, can ease the pain caused by a tragedy of this kind.”
Despite recognising the limitations of the gesture, UD Almería hope that donating the entire proceeds from the match will provide some support to Jesús de Miguel’s family during this difficult period.
The initiative comes under the leadership of Al Khereiji, who is the club’s president.
It also puts the spotlight on UD Almería’s ownership, with Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo having acquired a 25 per cent stake in the Spanish club earlier this year.
Borussia Dortmund’s 8-4 victory over Legia Warszawa remains the highest-scoring match in UEFA Champions League history, while Como’s 9-1 demolition of Lens has joined the competition’s list of most prolific encounters.
The Dortmund-Legia encounter produced 12 goals during the 2016/17 group stage, with the German side emerging victorious in a remarkable contest.
According to the UEFA website on Wednesday, the match featured five goals in the opening 32 minutes, including a spell in which three goals were scored within four minutes.
Aleksandar Prijović gave Legia a 10th-minute lead, but Shinji Kagawa scored twice in quick succession to put Dortmund ahead.
Marco Reus also registered a brace, while three goals were scored in the closing 10 minutes to complete the 8-4 result.
Como’s 9-1 victory away to Lens on November 4, 2026, also entered the record books, with the 10-goal encounter ranking among the highest-scoring matches in the competition.
Bayern Munich’s 9-2 victory over GNK Dinamo in September 2024 and Monaco’s 8-3 win against Deportivo La Coruña in November 2003 are other notable entries on the list.
Barcelona’s 8-2 defeat of Bayern Munich in the 2019/20 campaign also features among the highest-scoring Champions League matches.
Bayern thrash Barca 8-2
Full list of highest-scoring Champions League matches
• Borussia Dortmund 8-4 Legia Warszawa — November 22, 2016 (12 goals)
Como have joined Liverpool and Real Madrid in recording the biggest winning margin in UEFA Champions League history after thrashing Lens 9-1 in their Matchday 4 encounter on Tuesday night.
The Italian side’s nine-goal haul secured an eight-goal victory margin, equalling Liverpool’s 8-0 defeat of Beşiktaş in 2007 and Real Madrid’s 8-0 triumph over Malmö in 2015.
According to the UEFA website on Wednesday, Como also became only the second team after Bayern Munich to score nine goals in a Champions League match.
Tasos Douvikas scored a hat-trick in the encounter, while six other Como players also found the net as the competition debutants recorded the biggest away victory in the tournament’s history.
Liverpool were the first team to achieve an eight-goal winning margin when they defeated Beşiktaş 8-0 during the 2007/08 group stage.
Crouch scores two joining Yossi Benayoun who scored hatrick. Ryan Babel also netted a brace and captain Steven Gerrard scored the eight goal
Yossi Benayoun scored three goals, while Ryan Babel and Peter Crouch each contributed two. Steven Gerrard completed the scoring as Liverpool secured the record victory despite having collected just one point from their opening three group matches.
Real Madrid matched the feat on December 8, 2015, when they overwhelmed Malmö 8-0 at home.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals, setting what was then an individual group-stage record of 11 goals, while Karim Benzema registered a hat-trick.
Ronaldo nets four in Malmö thrashing
Bayern Munich also feature prominently in the record books after defeating GNK Dinamo 9-2 on September 17, 2024, establishing a new record for the most goals scored by a team in a single Champions League match.
Harry Kane scored four goals in the encounter, while Michael Olise added two.
