Benin finally broke their Africa Cup of Nations curse as Yohan Roche’s deflected goal delivered a landmark 1-0 victory over Botswana in a tense Group D clash in Rabat on Saturday.
The result marked Benin’s first-ever win at the AFCON finals, ending years of frustration and lifting the West African side to three points from two matches, level with Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The decisive moment arrived in the 28th minute when Roche combined neatly with captain Steve Mounie inside the box.
His low effort from close range took a cruel deflection off a defender, looping past the stranded goalkeeper and sparking wild celebrations on the Benin bench.
Holding a narrow lead, Benin showed composure and discipline, managing the game with maturity as Botswana struggled to break through.
The Southern Africans came closest when Mothusi Johnson’s curling free-kick beat the goalkeeper but crashed against the crossbar.
Benin, however, remained the more dangerous side. Goitseone Phoko produced a sharp save to deny Tamimou Ouorou, while substitute Dodo Dokou missed a golden chance in stoppage time, firing over from 12 yards with the goal wide open.
The victory carried added significance, ending a 16-match winless run at AFCON finals for Benin since their debut in 2004. Despite a quarter-final appearance in 2019, success at the group stage had long eluded them.
For Botswana, the defeat deepened their struggles on the continental stage. They became only the second nation to lose their opening five AFCON matches, following defeats on debut in 2012 and another setback earlier in this year’s tournament.
With qualification still up for grabs, Benin face Senegal in their final group game on Tuesday, while Botswana take on DR Congo, as the battle for Round of 16 places reaches a decisive stage
