Benin coach Gernot Rohr admitted his side had faced a huge challenge in their 3–0 defeat to Senegal, praising the quality and experience of the defending champions.
“This was a very difficult match against a highly experienced team like Senegal,” he said, acknowledging how hard it was for his players to cope, even when the Lions of Teranga were reduced to ten men.
Rohr highlighted how Senegal’s compact shape and discipline made them incredibly tough to break down, despite Kalidou Koulibaly’s red card in the second half. Benin pushed forward more aggressively after the dismissal, forcing Édouard Mendy into several saves, but could not find a breakthrough.
The German coach also revealed that Benin managed the game with the knockout stages in mind.
He explained that the team wanted to avoid unnecessary cards that could rule key players out of the Round of 16, which made them “a bit cautious” at times. Rohr stressed that these moments would serve as lessons as Benin prepare for the next phase, vowing that his side “will fight to go as far as possible in the competition.”
