AFCON 2025 / Benin: five key players missing against the DRC, Gernot Rohr confident
Deprived of five starters, suspended for its opener against the DRC, Benin will have to field a deeply reshuffled squad to begin AFCON 2025 in Morocco. A situation that does not, however, worry coach Gernot Rohr.
For its fifth participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, Benin will have to deal with a hemorrhage of starters for its first match. The Cheetahs will indeed be without five key players for the opening match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, scheduled for December 23. Mohamed Tijani, Andréas Hountondji, Junior Olaitan, Marcel Dandjinou and captain Steve Mounié will each serve a suspension, a direct consequence of accumulated bookings during the qualifying campaign.
This massive absence inevitably weakens coach Gernot Rohr’s plans, who will have to rebuild a normally well-established core. However, the Franco-German technician does not seem alarmed. The 72-year-old coach is counting on solidarity within his group to offset the impact of these significant losses.
“For as long as I have known this group, I have found great solidarity. Now is when that must show. There are five who are not here, and they are by no means minor. But we will replace them collectively with the necessary and indispensable fighting spirit“, he said in remarks relayed by Africatopsports. “The five who will replace the suspended starters will be very motivated. Just like the rest of the squad, even those on the bench”, he added, saying it will be an opportunity for them to make a name for themselves.
Humiliated by Burkina Faso (0-3) during the November international break, the Cheetahs do not go into the match in a position of strength against the DRC, considered one of the favorites in Group D. But Gernot Rohr believes the Congolese would be wrong to underestimate his charges, who are determined to go for the win.
“Maybe the opponent will think it will be easy against us. But I think we’ll have a good group, determined, prepared and aggressive in the right sense of the word”, he concluded. For the record, AFCON 2025 will be held in Morocco, from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
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