Egypt – Benin: Tactical discipline and mental strength the keys to the Cheetahs’ challenge

Benin will be shorthanded when the Cheetahs make their second-ever Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal appearance on Monday against Egypt at the Stade Adrar in Agadir, Morocco.

 

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The Cheetahs will be without captain Steve Mounié due to injury and according to the Beninese players, it will require a strong performance in all aspects of the game. Several important members of the squad spoke ahead of Monday’s opening Round of 16 clash (16h GMT).

Dodo Dokou: “We need to be more aggressive and tactically prepared.”

According to Dodo Dokou, the Cheetahs need to be better both offensively and defensively than they were in their last group stage match against Senegal. “I think in the next match, we need to be even more aggressive and play as a cohesive unit.” They will also need to be tactically sound to face the Pharaohs. “The match will be decided on tactics because the Egyptians are physically and tactically prepared. We need to be just as prepared as they are, and we need to defend better,” insisted the Leixões SC defensive midfielder.

Rodolfo Aloko: more accuracy in all three areas.

The Cheetahs’ right winger, Rodopho Aloko, echoed this sentiment, reflecting on the previous match: “When you play against big nations like Senegal, you absolutely have to know how to manage the game in defense, midfield, and attack. We had many chances, but we fell short. We need to address our remaining weaknesses and be more clinical in front of goal in the future.”

Marcel Dandjinou: prioritizing mental strength and discipline.

The Cheetahs’ starting goalkeeper, Marcel Dandjinou, believes that they shouldn’t take too many risks against Mohamed Salah and his teammates. “We need to be not only mentally prepared, but also technically prepared,” he emphasized, adding that the most important thing in this match won’t be to play the “most beautiful game,” but to give everything to win.

Gernot Rohr: the desire and ambition to make history

The key takeaway is that the entire team sees the situation the same way. It’s clear that Gernot Rohr is effectively conveying his message of discernment and analysis to his players. According to him, beyond what most of the players have emphasized, “the important thing is that the match is played under good conditions, without external disruptions, so that the game itself decides the winner. Benin may not have the same status, but they have the desire, the faith, and the ambition to write a new chapter in their history,” the Cheetahs head coach said at the pre-match press conference.

History is not on the side of the Cheetahs.

Benin wants to make history, but for now, the statistics favor the Pharaohs. Of the four matches played between the two countries, the advantage is clearly on the side of the Pharaohs.

The two teams have met four times since 2004. The first encounter, during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, ended in a spectacular 3-3 draw in Cotonou.

In the return match in 2005, Egypt won 4-1 in Cairo. Three years later, in a friendly match, the Pharaohs once again dominated the Cheetahs (5-1). Finally, at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt confirmed its supremacy with a 2-0 victory.

In total, Egypt has three wins and one draw, while Benin has never beaten the Pharaohs. In terms of goals, Egypt has scored 14 goals compared to 5 for Benin, a difference of +9 in favor of the North Africans. The Cheetahs must therefore do everything they can to make history.

• Egypt vs. Benin will be played on January 5th at 5 PM (4 PM GMT) at the Grand Stadium in Agadir. The winner will advance to face either Nigeria or Mozambique, who play later on Monday in Fès.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is translated from the original article written in French by Pan-Africa Football’s Hilary Christelle Tolo Kpadonou.