Benin recorded a landmark victory at the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, edging Botswana 1–0 to secure their first ever win in the history of the continental showpiece.
The decisive moment came in the 28th minute at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium when defender Yohan Roche capitalised on a quick interchange with captain Steve Mounié to fire a looping effort that took a deflection off a defender and drifted past Botswana goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko. The solitary goal proved enough to give Benin a famous triumph after years of trying at AFCON finals.
Roche, visibly emotional after the match, described the achievement as a dream come true for both himself and his nation. “It is a source of immense pride,” the left-back said. “We were aware of the people’s expectations, and we managed to stay focused to secure the win. This goal is particularly touching for me, especially after the difficulties of the first match. It was an immense joy to score the winning goal for Benin in front of my family, who are here in Morocco.”
This historic victory ended Benin’s long wait for their first AFCON finals win after 15 previous matches without success — a run dating back to their tournament debut in 2004. The result lifts Benin to three points in Group D, level with Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) ahead of the group’s final round of games.
Botswana, meanwhile, suffered their second consecutive defeat at the tournament. The Zebras offered only sporadic attacking threat, though midfielder Mothusi Johnson came close to an equaliser shortly after Benin’s goal when his superb free-kick came back off the crossbar.
Benin’s coach Gernot Rohr hailed the win as a reflection of his team’s progress and determination. “This victory is important to us because it gives us a chance to qualify for the next round,” Rohr said. “We proved today that we have progressed defensively. We didn’t concede many opportunities and we recovered well, especially on the offensive end.”
Botswana’s coach Morena Ramoreboli lamented missed opportunities but praised his side’s courage. “In the first 45 minutes, we got one opportunity which I think we should have buried,” he said. “We created chances, but we did not really get the penetration or create real opportunities to score.”
