AFCON Qualifiers: Why Eagles Will Travel By Boat To Cotonou-Rohr

The Super Eagles 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin Republic has been fixed for Saturday, March 27 in Port Novo.

CityNews Nigeria  gathered that the team’s training camp billed for Lagos will begin on March 22.

Eagles coach Gernot Rohr also disclosed that the team would travel to Benin Republic with a boat across the Gulf of Guinea for the game billed for the Stade de l’Amitie.

Although its just 75 miles between Lagos and Porto Novo, the journey takes up to five hours because of the bad roads enroute Benin Republic.

“We are playing in Lagos for the first time in a very long time. I am very excited for the players,”Rohr said.

“So, it’s important we have good security and escorts to move around. The traffic in Lagos is terrible.

“For the first match in Benin (Republic), we are playing in the city of Cotonou. We will stay in Lagos ahead of the match.

“But because the road is not good between Lagos and Cotonou, we will travel to the match on a boat because the crossing only lasts two hours, instead of many hours on poor roads.”

Nigeria won the first fixture two years ago 2-1 in Uyo, with goals from Samuel Kalu and Victor Osimhen, after the visitors had taken a shock lead.

The Eagles last played at the stadium 10 years ago, a friendly against Sierra Leone.

Nigeria lead their qualifying group with eight points, while Benin are second on seven points.

The Eagles need a point from their last two qualifiers to qualify for the 2021 AFCON, scheduled for Cameroon next year