Yohan Roche fired Benin to history on Saturday. His deflected strike sealed a 1-0 win over Botswana in Group D at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The breakthrough came in the 28th minute. Roche exchanged passes with captain Steve Mounié, then shot from close range. A defender’s touch wrong-footed the keeper and sent Benin into dreamland.
It was their first victory at the finals after 16 attempts since debuting in 2004. They had five draws and 10 defeats before this moment, despite reaching the quarter-finals in 2019.
Botswana offered little threat. Mothusi Johnson clipped the bar with a curling free-kick, their best chance of the night. Benin could have added more, but Goitseone Phoko denied Tamimou Ouorou with a sharp low save. Dodo Dokou wasted a golden chance in stoppage time, blasting over from 12 yards.
Botswana remain winless in the competition. They have now lost all five of their Cup of Nations matches, stretching back to their debut in 2012.
Next up: Benin face Senegal on Tuesday. Botswana take on DR Congo. The top two teams in each group, plus four best third-placed sides, advance to the Round of 16.
