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Benin Republic had help from two Nigerian natives to beat The Super Eagles in a crucial World Cup qualifier
The Super Eagles of Nigeria suffered a humbling 2-1 loss to Benin Republic at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, which has now left the Giant of Africa’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in tatters.
Goals from Jodel Dossou and Steve Mounie cancelled out Raphael Onyedika’s opener to keep Benin’s perfect home record in the World Cup qualifiers. While fans of the Super Eagles would have been disappointed with the loss, they would have also felt a sense of betrayal after reading the teamsheet of the Cheetahs.
Among the fold for the victorious Benenois Cheetahs were two players, who have strong ties to Nigeria and, under different circumstances, could have turned out for the Super Eagles on Monday evening.
Junior Olaitan: Benin born, Lagos bred
On the left wing for Benin was FC Troyes Loanee Junior Olaitan, who gave Super Eagles right-back Benjamin Tanimu a run for his money from the start of the game until he was withdrawn late in the second half.
Olaitan, as his surname implies, was born to a Nigerian father in Porto Novo, Benin, where his mother is native, but spent the majority of his formative years in Lagos, Nigeria.
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The attacker eventually left Lagos to pursue his dream of becoming a professional footballer and joined Ayema FC in Porto Novo, becoming an instant hit with the side earning him a move to Europe when he was just 19.
Olaitan joined Niort in France’s Ligue 2, and after another impressive spell, was signed on loan by Troyes, when Niort were relegated to the third division.
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The 22-year-old was quickly identified as a top talent by the Benin Republic Federation and was given his national team debut while he was still at Ayema in the Benin Premier League even though he was still a teenager at the time.
Olaitan has now become a regular with the national team, playing up to 22 times for The Cheetahs since his first appearance in 2021.
Oluwatosin Aiyegun: Lagos born Lorient star
Unlike Olaitan, who only grew up in Lagos, Oluwatosin Aiyegun was also born in Nigeria’s economic capital in June 1998. He came on for Benin in the first half of their 2-1 win over Nigeria, replacing goalscorer Jodel Dossou, who was injured while netting The Cheetahs’ equaliser.
Aiyegun was born to a Nigerian father and a Benenois mother and even started his football career in Nigeria, with the Real Sapphire football academy in Lagos.
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Aiyegun made the move to Europe in 2017, joining the popular Latvian side Ventspils.
The 11-time Benin international stood out as a quality player for Ventspils, scoring 35 goals and producing 20 assists in two seasons, earning him a move to FC Zurich, where he won the Swiss Super League in 2022.
Aiyegun’s exploits in Switzerland with Zurich did not go unnoticed, as Ligue 1 side Lorient secured his services at the start of the 2023/24 season for €4 million.
The Lorient man has played 12 times for Benin’s Cheetahs after making his debut in 2022 and has scored three times including in his first game for the country, a 4-0 friendly win over Liberia.
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