Nigeria vs DR Congo: Rohr Predicts Winner, Warns Super Eagles of ‘Deadly’ Leopards Threat
Written by Abidoye Babatunde Blackcoin on 15 — 11
Benin Republic head coach Gernot Rohr has offered a fresh prediction ahead of the crucial World Cup playoff showdown between Nigeria and DR Congo.
Rohr is tipping the Super Eagles to come out on top in Sunday’s clash in Rabat, but he warned that the Congolese pose a real and serious threat.
The Franco-German, a former Nigeria coach, had earlier correctly predicted that both nations would win their respective semi-final fixtures on Thursday.
Nigeria ultimately outclassed Gabon 4–1 after extra time, while DR Congo booked their spot with a dramatic stoppage-time header to edge Cameroon 1–0.
Rohr now tips the Super Eagles to “go through,” though he remains cautious about the Leopards’ aerial power and physical dominance—qualities he believes could trouble Nigeria’s push for a place in the 2026 intercontinental playoffs. According to The Nation, Rohr stated: “Of course, Nigeria is the favourite, but they must be careful.”
The Benin coach continued:
“Congo have a very physically strong side and are dangerous from set pieces, as they showed against Cameroon. They possess both physical and mental strength.”
While backing Nigeria’s overall superiority, Rohr warned that Congo’s intensity should not be overlooked.
“It will be an interesting game, but I think Nigeria will advance because they have better collective qualities.”
Rohr, whose Benin Republic side will open their AFCON campaign against DR Congo in December, has a vested interest in studying how the Leopards perform against top-level opposition. He confirmed he will be present for the encounter.
“Of course, we are going to watch the match on Sunday in Rabat because we are also playing against Burkina Faso in Rabat on Tuesday,” he said. “It’s important for us since our first AFCON game is against DR Congo in December.”
The experienced tactician added that he is eager to see whether this prediction proves as accurate as his last:
“But we will see if my prediction that Nigeria will win comes true, just as I correctly predicted both teams to win their Play-Off semi-finals.”
