Yohan Roche’s first-half goal secured Benin’s first-ever AFCON win and kept their hopes of reaching the last 16 alive.
Benin achieved a historic milestone in Rabat, securing their first-ever victory at the Africa Cup of Nations finals with a 1-0 win over Botswana.
The decisive moment came in the 28th minute when defender Yohan Roche exchanged a neat one-two with the returning Steve Mounie before hitting a deflected strike that looped over the goalkeeper.
The result marks the Cheetahs’ first win in normal time across five tournament editions and 16 total matches.
The victory was a testament to the tactical adjustments made by manager Gernot Rohr, who welcomed back key figures including record scorer Mounie and goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou.
While Botswana threatened to level the score when Mothusi Johnson struck the crossbar with a brilliant free-kick, Benin remained the more dangerous side.
Only a series of impressive saves from Botswana’s Goitseone Phoko prevented a more significant margin of victory for the West Africans.
With three points now on the board, Benin has revitalized its campaign ahead of a final Group D showdown against Senegal on Tuesday.
The team will be aiming to replicate or exceed their 2019 success, where they reached the quarter-finals without a regulation-time win.
Botswana, conversely, faces a must-win scenario against DR Congo after suffering their second consecutive defeat of the group stage, leaving their progression hopes in jeopardy.