Benin will enter their first AFCON 2025 match against DR Congo with a severely depleted squad after five important players received suspensions for accumulated yellow cards during the qualifiers.
Junior Olaitan, Steve Mounié, Andreas Hountondji, Mohamed Tijani, and Marcel Dandjinou will all miss the opening fixture in Group D.
The Benin coach voiced strong dissatisfaction with the ruling, stressing that the staff did not expect the sanctions. He argued that the regulations should have protected players from carrying yellow cards into the final tournament.
“We see a certain injustice in this CAF decision to suspend five of our players, since there is an article specifying that yellow cards issued during the qualifiers should not count towards the final tournament,” he stated.
Despite the setback, the coach insisted that the group will respond with unity and determination. He affirmed his trust in the rest of the squad, noting that every player understands the magnitude of the challenge.
“I’ve always found great solidarity within my team. Five key players are absent, but we’ll replace them collectively, with the necessary and essential fighting spirit,” he said.
He also addressed potential perceptions from their opponents, suggesting that any underestimation could work in Benin’s favour.
“Perhaps our opponents will think it will be easy against us… but I think we’ll have a strong, determined, prepared, and aggressive team.
The five players replacing the suspended starters will be highly motivated, as will the entire squad, even those on the bench.”
Benin share Group D with DR Congo and Senegal, and they will meet the defending champions on 30 December 2025.
The team now prepares for a challenging start, relying on depth, motivation, and resilience as they open their AFCON campaign under pressure.
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