Two heads, they say, are better than one, and when two great minds come together on a specific goal, the expectation can be nothing short of excellence. Hence, the partnership between Awoofsports – one of Nigeria’s fastest growing homegrown digital sports content websites, and Betyakata – a rapidly growing sports betting and casino platform.
When the idea of Awoofsports and Betyakata working together came up, it didn’t take long before it moved from the foetal stage to full-fledged reality. The partnership was bound to happen, given the values both platforms hold in high esteem – quality service delivery, spontaneity, and bringing the excitement of the beautiful game closer to the fans.
There are more than a handful of media organisations that covered the crucial qualifier between the Super Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Cheetahs of Benin, but only Awoofsports and Betyakata can make a bold claim of capturing how many of the fans came into the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in pairs – boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, bosom friends, among others. (See video here.)
So, for Awoofsports and Betyakata, it wasn’t just about covering the Super Eagles before, during, and after the match. It was also about capturing the experiences of the 12th man – the fans, the energy around the stadium, the banter, and everything in between. The mission was to cover the totality of events leading up to the game, during the game, and afterwards.
There’s something special about covering a match on home soil, especially when it’s the Super Eagles. The atmosphere was electric from the moment Awoof Sports arrived for Nigeria’s must-win World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic. Despite needing victory or risking missing out on the World Cup for the second consecutive edition, supporters were confident that qualification was possible, and the players were not fazed by the occasion, either.
The Super Eagles’ journey was not straightforward as they arrived later than expected due to issues with their previous flight. They eventually arrived in Uyo on Sunday morning and trained in the evening, with Awoof Sports covering their entrance and departure from the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
On Monday, October 13th, both Benin Republic and Nigeria were at the stadium with the Cheetahs training first before the Super Eagles later arrived. While no interviews were granted until the pre-match press conference, we could sense the eagerness in the players to get the job done. They were not smiling, they were ready for war.
During the pre-match press conference, head coach Eric Chelle admitted that the game was the biggest of his career, but he stayed calm and collected, not allowing the pressure to get to him or influence his decision-making. By matchday, he released a lineup that almost everyone was satisfied with, especially with the inclusion of Samuel Chukwueze, with Ademola Lookman suspended.
Awoof Sports’ team arrived at the stadium early, getting videos of fans pouring in to witness Nigeria play. After that, we got into the stadium and settled down, taking note of the pre-match warmups of both nations. To be honest, the Benin Republic players looked so confident, one wouldn’t have guessed the final scoreline would be what it was.
Awoofsports media team captured the moment Nigerian fans in the stadium booed the Benin Republic players while they were warming up pitchside in a bid to make the atmosphere uneasy for them, even though they were quite familiar with the ground.
While settling down, Betyakata influencers arrived at the stadium, and we had to go give them their tickets, making sure they were well settled to do their magic. They eventually got a comfortable space and recorded their content inside the stadium while also enjoying the game, which proved to be one of the biggest wins in Nigeria’s footballing history.
The Super Eagles trashed Benin Republic 4-0 courtesy of Victor Osimhen’s hat-trick and Frank Onyeka’s late winner. Experiencing that live was a blessing.
The fans were emotional, some were close to tears, some had lost their voice, and everyone was screaming Osimhen’s name, and even Chelle had to acknowledge the Galatasaray striker as the best in the world in his post-match press conference.
Awoofsports and Betyakata sampled the opnions of the fans after the comprehensive victory. Most of them coul not contain their excitement and it was evident in the way they spoke to our reporters. They expressed optimism on the Super Eagles qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer via the playoffs.
The atmosphere after the game was even more electric. The feeling of doubt had turned into a belief that the Super Eagles, once considered out of the race to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, now had a real chance to make the nation proud and seal their place in the global tournament.
After the game, we had to get to a nearby hotel as the crowd meant we could not easily get transport back home. Beyond the goals and glory, covering the game was an experience, one that revealed the heartbeat of Nigerian football up close.
Report compiled by Awoofsports x Betyakata
