Winless StreakBenin celebrated a historic victory at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a 1-0 triumph over Botswana, marking their first-ever win at the tournament after 15 unsuccessful attempts.
The match, held at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympique Annexe in Rabat, saw Benin take the lead through a first-half goal by Yohan Roche.
Both teams entered the match under pressure after disappointing starts to their respective AFCON campaigns.
Benin had lost to DR Congo in their opening match, while Botswana had suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Senegal.
In the 20th minute, Botswana had a chance to go ahead, but Tumisang Orebonye’s shot was saved by Benin’s goalkeeper, Marcel Dandjinou.
Just eight minutes later, Benin capitalized on the missed opportunity as Steve Mounié played a perfect through ball to Roche, who slotted home to give Benin the lead.
Botswana nearly equalized before halftime, with a stunning free-kick from Johnson hitting the crossbar, but Benin maintained their composure and continued to push forward.
Despite some scrappy moments in the second half, Benin held firm defensively, fending off Botswana’s attacks and securing the vital win.
This victory ends a long winless streak for Benin at AFCON, a competition they have never managed to win.
The team will now look to build on this success as they prepare for their next match against Senegal on December 30. Botswana, on the other hand, faces a must-win encounter against DR Congo in their final group stage match.
