Benin coach Gernot Rohr is pulling all the stops to ensure qualification to the 2025 AFCON and as a result he has named star defender Mohamed Tijani, who missed the Super Eagles clash in Uyo in September due to injury, and drafted more strikers for final qualifying games.
Benin and Rwanda are locked in a fierce duel for the other AFCON ticket in Group D.
The Cheetahs of Benin are second in the group with six points, while Rwanda are a point behind in third place.
The team of former Eagles coach Rohr therefore need results in their remaining matches against Nigeria at home and the away game in Libya.
Big central defender Mohamed Tijani was a major absentee for the Cheetahs of Benin in Uyo against Nigeria after he played a big role in Benin recording a famous 2-1 win over the Super Eagles in 2026 World Cup qualifying in June.
He also stood out in his team’s last AFCON qualifier in Rwanda last month.
Injury forced him out of the game in the second and that allowed Rwanda to draw level and go on to win the match.
Captain Steve Mounie, Jodel Dossou and Andre Hountondji have scored the goals for Benin in recent matches, but Rohr has now boosted his strike force with the addition of Lokomotiv Leipzig winger Ryan Adigo, who was last called up two years ago.
