2023-11-20 13:43:30
The Cheetahs of Benin face the Likuena of Lesotho this Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, South Africa during the 2nd day of the 2026 world qualifiers. It is a revival meeting for the Beninese who lost their first match against Bafana Bafana of South Africa, Saturday November 18.
Last in their group at the end of the first day of the qualifiers the 2026 World Cup, the Cheetah footballers from Benin cross cleats with the Crocodiles (Likuena) from Lesotho this Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, South Africa from 2 p.m., Cotonou time. Lesotho, which hosts Benin, plays the match outside its territory due to the lack of a FIFA-approved stadium in the country.
After its defeat against South Africa, Benin takes seriously its opponent whom it knows well. “We are not going to underestimate them. I think Nigeria has already made a small mistake by underestimating them. There, we know that we have to take everyone seriously”, declared the national coach of Benin, Gernot Rohr, at a press conference after the South Africa-Benin match. Gernot Rohr ensures that the Cheetahs’ second-half performance against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana “must encourage [ses] players to be able to envisage a better result next Tuesday against Lesotho”.
It’s a reunion match between Benin and Lesotho after the CAN Cameroon 2022 qualifiers. In Porto-Novo in 2020, the Cheetahs beat the Crocodiles (1-0). The Beninese team conceded a draw (0-0) facing the same Lesotho team in Freetown, three days later.
During the first day of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Lesotho put Nigeria in difficulty by snatching draw (1-1).
Qualifiers started with a defeat
At the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday 18 November 2023, the Benin Cheetahs lost their first match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a score 1-2. The Beninese, who were traveling in South Africa, conceded the first goal, just over a minute after kick-off.
The danger came from a combined action of three South African players. Aubrey Modiba sends the ball down the middle to his teammate Sphephelo Sithole. The latter makes an assist to Percy Tau who opens the scoring for South Africa (1-0).
Subsequently, the Beninese try to equalize. Short-lived reaction. The South Africans took control of the match and doubled the score in added time of the first part (45th + 2). Khuliso Mudau scores the second South African goal following the pushback of the ball by Beninese goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbé (2 – 0).
At the start, the Benin coach makes substitutions and reviews his tactical plan. An operation that pays off in the 70th minute. Jodel Dossou launched by the Beninese defense, makes a perfect cross from right to left. Steve Mounié volleys the cross near the penalty spot and offers the score reduction to his team (2-1).
The Beninese players gain confidence, get a few chances, but fail to realize them before the final whistle.
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