South Africa’s World Cup rivals Benin named their squad for Group C qualifiers later this month, with coach Gernot Rohr leaving out one of his stalwart defenders and calling up an untested teenager.
Benin take on Zimbabwe at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on 21 March and then host South Africa in Abidjan on 25 March in their next two qualifiers, seeking to keep up their hopes of a place at the 2026 finals in North America.
Rohr named his squad on Monday but has left out former Ligue 1 defender Olivier Verdon for disciplinary reasons, he told a press conference.
"There are communication and mutual respect issues. He was not available for the last two matches of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers (in November) but did not tell us why.
“Thus, he was sanctioned. We have to ensure discipline and if a player doesn't adhere to our rules, it will be difficult for him to be part of this group,” Rohr said.
🚨📑 La liste des Guépards du Bénin sélectionnés pour les matchs de qualification à la Coupe du Monde 2026 🆚 le Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 (20/03) et 🆚 l'Afrique du Sud 🇿🇦 (25/03) vient d’être dévoilée par le sélectionneur Gernot Rohr.#AllezLesGuépards 🐆🇧🇯 pic.twitter.com/W886F57XAl
— Bénin Football 🇧🇯🐆 (@FootballBenin) March 10, 2025
The coach called up 25 players for the two matches, the second of which is being played in the Ivory Coast because Benin’s stadia have been banned by the Confederation of African Football for not being up to international standard.
That is also the reason why Zimbabwe are hosting Benin in Durban.
The 19-year-old Candas Fiogbé is selected for the first time while defender Brandon Agounon is back one year after his last call-up.
The 30-year-old Agounon is captain of Châteauroux, who sit bottom of the French third division.
The 19-year-old Fiogbé is on the books at Atalanta and has scored six goals this season for the Italian club’s under-19 side in the Uefa Youth League. But he is yet to start a senior match.
Fiogbé comes in for striker Aiyegun Tosin, from French second division leaders Lorient, who has suffered a thigh injury while defender Cédric Hountondji is also out injured with an Achilles strain. Hountondji plays for Angers in Ligue 1.
The squad includes David Kiki from Romanian club Steaua Bucharest, who plays at the same cub as Siyabonga Ngezana, who is in the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad.
TEAM
Goalkeepers: Saturnin Allagbé (Botev Vratsa, Bulgaria), Marcel Dandjinou (JDR Stars, South Africa), Serges Obassa (Remo Stars, Nigeria)
Defenders: Moise Adilehou (Laval, France), Brandon Agounon (Châteauroux, France), Rodrigue Fassinou (Coton Sport Benin), David Kiki (Steaua Bucharest, Romania), Rachid Moumini (Ayéma), Tamimou Ouorou (Hatta, United Arab Emirates), Yohan Roche (Petrolul 52, Romania), Rabiou Sankamao (Wydad Fès, Morocco), Mohamed Tijani (Yverdon Sport, Switzerland)
Midfielders: Mattéo Ahlinvi (Arsenal Tula, Russia), Mariano Ahouangbo (Soliman, Tunisia), Gislain Ahoudo (Gabès, Tunisia), Samadou Attidjikou (Al Masry, Egypt), Sessi d’Almeida (Apollon Limassol. Cyprus), Dodo Dokou (Smouha, Egypt), Imourane Hassane (Grasshoppers Zurich, Switzerland)
Forwards: Jodel Dossou (Victoria Rosport, Luxembourg), Candas Fiogbé (Atalanta, Italy), Andréas Hountondji (Standard Liège, Belgium), Steve Mounié (FC Augsburg, Germany), Junior Olaitan (Grenoble, France), Steve-Waren Traoré (Haka, Finland)