Benin fans harass Super Eagles, threaten to beat players

IRATE football fans in Benin on Friday night tried to prevent the Super Eagles team from leaving the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium after the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone.

The Nigerian team put up an embarrassing performance against the underdogs, failing to win after taking a 4-0 lead in the first half.

The few journalists and government officials, including Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki, allowed in to watch the match were left stunned as the Leone Stars pulled off one of the greatest fightbacks in African football history by drawing level from a four-goal deficit and earning a 4-4 draw.

Scores of Benin fans, mostly young men, who had been prevented from gaining entry into the stadium in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, vented their frustration on the Nigerian team.

The fans, numbering no less than 100, lay in wait for the Super Eagles at the stadium’s main gate immediately the match ended, chanting songs to ridicule the team.

Some of the fans were overhead by Naija Times saying they wished they could lay their hands on some of the players to beat them up.

The fans camped at the gate and initially defied the security operatives who tried to disperse them.

They cheered wildly as the Sierra Leone team bus passed but promised to deal with the Nigerian team who were still inside.

However, the Super Eagles bus left the stadium without incident as the heavily armed government security forces formed a ring around then and did not allow any harm to come to the players and officials.

The draw against Sierra Leone is the first time the Eagles would drop points in the qualifying series after two wins in two games.

The Super Eagles face the Leone Stars again on Tuesday in Freetown in the reverse tie.