Super Eagles starting XI against Benin Republic: Onyemaechi starts as Eguavoen opts for three defenders

Nigeria senior national team interim coach Austine Eguavoen has selected Boavista defender Bruno Onyemaechi among the players who will start today’s AFCON 2025 qualifier against Benin Republic, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Eguavoen, who will lead the team in the first two qualifying games with today’s match followed by another away game against Rwanda in three days, has decided to play with three central defenders.

The set-up will see Onyemaechi make his sixth start for the Nigerian senior national team and also increase his caps to seven playing as a left-back in a 3-4-3 formation.

Ola Aina is likely to take the other right-back spot, just ahead of a back three that will consist of Semi Ajayi, William Troost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey, we have learned exclusively.

The team used the same formation at the African Cup of Nations and reached the final, where they lost 1-2 to hosts Ivory Coast. Eguavoen is returning to this formation to try to stop the team’s poor run since the African Cup of Nations, where they have won just one of four matches since the tournament.