Yohan Roche’s first-half strike earned Benin a historic 1-0 victory over Botswana on Friday in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Round of 16 qualification match in Rabat.
The win marked Benin’s first-ever AFCON victory and revived their hopes of reaching the knockout stage after an opening defeat to DR Congo.
For Botswana, the result dealt a major blow to their bid for a maiden progression, leaving them with a second consecutive loss.
Benin began on the front foot and thought they had taken an early lead when Aiyegun Tosin found the net inside 15 minutes, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Roche eventually broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, finishing from a pass by captain Steve Mounié. His effort took a deflection off a defender and wrong-footed goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko.
Botswana came close to an equaliser seven minutes before the break when Mothusi Johnson’s free-kick crashed against the crossbar. After the interval, Benin threatened again through Tamimou Ouorou, but Phoko produced key saves to keep the margin at one goal.
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Botswana pushed forward late in search of a breakthrough but were held firm by a disciplined Benin defence. Benin will face Senegal in Tangier on Tuesday, while Botswana take on DR Congo in Rabat.
Benin coach Gernot Rohr described the win as a significant step towards qualification.
“This victory is important because it keeps our chances alive. We showed clear defensive improvement and limited our opponents’ chances. I am especially pleased for Yohan Roche, who bounced back from the first match and deservedly won Man of the Match,” Rohr told CAF Online.
Botswana coach Morena Ramoreboli said his side paid the price for a costly lapse.
“We had a clear chance in the first half that we failed to convert, and from that same situation we conceded. We created opportunities but could not break through in the second half. Football punishes mistakes, and unfortunately we were on the wrong end today,” he said.
Roche, who was named Man of the Match, said the goal carried special meaning.
“It is a moment of great pride. We understood what this match meant and stayed focused. After the disappointment of the first game, scoring the winning goal for my country, in front of my family, means a lot. We move forward together,” he said.
