After the success in Antananarivo against Baréas de Madagascar on the first day of the World Cup qualifiers, Qatar 2022, the Benin Squirrels want to confirm their good start in qualifying by receiving this Monday 6 September to 14 h from Cotonou (13h GMT) at the General Mathieu Kérékou Friendship Stadium in Kouhounou, the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo. A match synonymous with the final first leg between the two top names in this group J.
Victorious of Madagascar, Benin must follow up with a victory over DR Congo on the second day of qualifying for the World Cup Qatar 2022 pour maintenir la flamme de la résurrection. Premiers de leur groupe avec trois points, the delighted Squirrels of Benin know that the continuation to the World Cup would probably not be so simple. Hence the caution of coach Michel Dussuyer. " It's a good start. Now, it can be improved. We will have to continue on the same dynamic. This is why we need this second success even though we know it will be difficult ", he said in a pre-match press conference adding "The DRC is a great football nation. We know what to expect ”.
"We are leaders. It feels good to be first in the group. The goal for Monday is to take all three points ", adds Captain Khaled Adénon. The former Amiens player reassures that morale is high in the Squirrels' lair. "The victory won against the Malagasy is doing us good", he confided. So he will say that he believes in their chances of qualifying for the world. "When playing a competition, we have to believe in it and give ourselves every chance ".
Why victory matters
After elimination against Sierra Leone in the Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021, il urge de relever la tête pour sanctionner par la performance les qualificatifs du mondial. C’est pourquoi un nul ou la défaite est interdite. In any case, if we want to afford a place to titillate the great sports-king nations on the continent, victory is more than a requirement, history of reconnecting with the fetish phrase "Benin is impregnable at home". Because Nigeria already ended last March the invincibility of 16 Benin home matches (1-0). However, il faut pouvoir être résilient à l’image des guerriers pour faire flotter un drapeau tricolore battu par le vent mais toujours arrimé à son mat. Et bien plus que par la tactique, this match will be played in the mind, to determination, fighting spirit and sacrifice. Everything Khaled Adénon and his teammates must have to rekindle the fire of the confidence of a people who have not finished digesting the disillusionment of Conakry.
The trap to avoid
For this important meeting, where the coach aims for victory, Michel Dussuyer could go back to a system in 5-4-1 or 3-5-2, dans lequel Mattéo Ahlinvi joue le rôle du dépositaire de jeu béninois tandis que Steve Mounié affiche une grande complicité sur le front offensif avec Cèbio Soukou. La principale interrogation porte sur la titularisation ou non de Jodel Dossou qui n’était pas à Antananarivo. The Squirrels will have to be careful not to look at the current form of the Congolese selection which could change during this meeting.. "DR Congo still remains a formidable team despite these poor performances of recent times", underlines a warned of the football thing. Because this meeting is valid for history, for the honor and for the pride of a true resurrection.
Damien TOLOMISSI