Drama As Benin Report Club to FIFA Over Nigerian-Born Player Before Key World Cup Clash
- Gernot Rohr has reportedly taken a Turkish club to FIFA ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers
- The Benin Republic took on the Amavubi of Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on October 10
- The Cheetahs lead CAF qualification Group C after FIFA stripped Bafana Bafana of three points
Veteran German tactician Gernot Rohr is on the verge of seeing the Benin Republic qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup tournament.
The Cheetahs are leading the pack after FIFA deducted three points from South Africa for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho on March 21.
The ruling has transformed CAF's qualification group C, with Benin two points ahead of Bafana Bafana and three points ahead of Nigeria.
Source: Getty Images
Gernot Rohr's Benin reports club to FIFA
The race for a place in North America next year has taken another twist, with Benin's Football Association allegedly reporting Turkish Super Lig club Goztepe to FIFA.
According to the Daily Post, Coach Rohr has claimed that the club intentionally prevented Junior Olaitan from playing in their matches against Rwanda and Nigeria.
According to the publication, the German tactician stated that the country had made preparations to examine the midfielder when he eventually joined the squad.
"Junior Olaitan is not with the national team because his club stopped him from coming for the qualifiers. We have therefore sent a letter to FIFA to denounce this situation. Even an injured player must report to his national team’s training camp.”
According to additional reports, the 23-year-old failed to feature for Goztepe against Eyupspor and Istanbul Basaksehir due to injury.
The midfielder reportedly also attempted to sneak away from the club to attend games for his country, but was stopped by club officials.
The Cheetahs' medical team has insisted that the Turkey-based forward is fit to play, but the Super Lig side has apparently denied this.
Source: Getty Images
Three other Benin Republic players out
The injury list of the Benin Republic has grown recently, with three other players set to miss the crucial World Cup qualifiers.
According to The New Times, Burnley forward Andreas Hountondji is struggling to recover after a knock against Aston Villa.
Sumgayit FK player Abdoul Rachid Moumini and Kustosija Zagreb star Rodolfo Aloko were already ruled out due to injuries.
Both of these players, along with Olaitan, were expected to play crucial roles in Rohr’s team for the final stretch of the qualifiers.
Their absence leaves the experienced coach with limited attacking options heading into a must-win game against Nigeria.
A win for Benin would see them through, with both South Africa and the Super Eagles close enough to possibly take their spot.
According to FIFA, Bafana Bafana face a tough clash with Rwanda on October 14, with the Cheetahs and Nigeria in a decisive tie.
Super Eagles face World Cup setback
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Super Eagles encountered a major setback after a key defender withdrew from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Germany-based defender Felix Agu had withdrawn from the squad for the qualifier games against Benin and Lesotho after suffering an injury.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
