Rohr’s Benin eye Senegal upset to book  16th Round spot

Benin will be hoping to cause an upset against their West African rivals, Senegal, in their third and final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group stage fixture tonight.

The Group D match is scheduled to be played at the Tangier Grand Stadium in Tangier, a city in north-western Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Cheetahs are on cloud nine after securing their first-ever win in the AFCON finals when they overcame Botswana 1-0 on December 27 and the victory also snapped their three-match winless run across all competitions.

Benin find themselves placed third in the Group D standings with three points from two matches, with fourth-placed Botswana having been eliminated and a win over Senegal would earn the West African side a spot in the knockout phase for the first time.

 “We’re happy, it’s a historic victory [over Botswana] because Benin had never won a match in the Africa Cup of Nations in their four appearances. It’s the first one, so we’re very happy,” Benin head coach Gernot Rohr said.

 “It gives us hope if getting out of this tough group before the last match against Senegal. It will obviously be complicated, but my team showed some great things in terms of play, and morale too.”

Senegal, on the other hand, had to show character by fighting back to hold DR Congo to a 1-1 draw on December 27 and the stalemate extended the West African giants’ unbeaten run to three matches across all competitions.

The Lions of Teranga are occupying the top spot in the Group D standings on goal difference, having accumulated four points from two matches and the 2021 AFCON champions will progress to the Round of 16 if they avoid a defeat against Benin.

 “I don’t think inefficiency is a matter of player selection. Of course, you have to be more clinical in front of goal, and they are aware of that. I have no regrets [after the DR Congo draw],” Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw said.

“This match is over and I’m already focused on the next one against Benin, to win it. Of course, there are things we could have done better (against DR Congo), but the match is behind us. Now we must focus on the next encounter.”

Benin and Senegal have met 10 times across all competitions since their maiden meeting in December 1961.

The Lions of Teranga have dominated this rivalry, winning seven matches compared to the Cheetahs’ one victory and two games ended in a draw.

The last meeting between the two West African nations ended in a 1-0 win in favour of Senegal in an international friendly match at the Stade de la Licorne, Amiens, France, in March 2024.

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