Super Eagles forward Moses Simon is confident that the team will secure a victory against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in their opening Group C match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Saturday.
The Eagles, who have struggled in their last three competitive matches without a win, are eager to lift the spirits of their fans when they face the Cheetahs, now managed by former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.
Adding to the intensity is the fact that Nigeria has a score to settle with the Cheetahs, following a 2-1 loss to them in a June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Abidjan, a defeat that jeopardized their World Cup hopes.
Simon emphasized that the team is fully aware of the importance of Saturday’s match and won’t settle for anything less than a win, as they aim to set a strong tone for their AFCON qualifying campaign.
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“This is our job, we know what it takes to win. We know we lost against them in the World Cup qualifiers 2-1 and I believe we don’t want to lose or draw against them again,” Simon told NFF media.
“We know what we have to do to win. We’re not going out there to play a draw. We will go out there to play our game and do our best to win to put a smile on the faces of the fans.”
Simon is expected to be one of the key players for Nigeria in the game. The Nantes forward has been a key player for the Eagles in recent years.
