AFCON 2020 Match 13: Straightforward Benin Win Over Zambia

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

AFCON 2020 Match 13: Benin v Zambia

Straightforward Benin Win Over Zambia

June 19, 2020

Benin 2 Zambia 0

 

Two goals from Jodel Dossou and Steve Mounié set up an easy win for Benin over Zambia in their second match of the African Cup of Nations.

 

Zambia made one change, bringing in Enock Mwepu, while Benin altered their defence with one inclusion, Séidou Barazé.

 

Benin had the early chance to open the scoring, only for veteran Stéphane Sessègnon’s slow pace to not take control of a loose ball.

 

Instead, it was the dangerous Dossou who scored in the ninth minute, fooling his marking man before running into the box and shooting across and into the goal with his right.

 

Dossou nearly scored seven minutes later with a volley off a corner, only for Zambian goalkeeper Sebastian Mwange to dive successfully to his left.

 

Sessègnon then had a ping from a similar spot as Dossou’s goal, only for the ball to be parried to Sessi D’Almeida, whose shot was then blocked by desperate defence.

 

Zambia finally had their first attempt on goal in the 21st minute, with Mwepu missing to the right of goal.

 

Benin’s Mickaël Poté and Mounié both had shots thwarted, before Poté set up a header for Sessègnon. Mwange managed to take hold of the ball, though, with ease.

 

Dossou had a fire on goal with his left in the 39th minute to double the lead, but again, Mwange made a similar save. Poté had a shot go to the right of goal as halftime approached.

 

Rodrigue Kossi was surprisingly substituted on for Dossou at the break, possibly to save the right midfielder for the third match. This slowed the gam slightly, as Dossou created much of Benin’s attacking play.

 

Zambia tried working down their left wing; in the 58th minute, after working hard down the left wing, Mwepu had a shot fall to the right of goal, while Benin waited for counterattacking opportunities. When the momentum shifted back in favour of the west Africans, a cross from near the left-hand corner reached Mounié’s head, and he made no mistake in scoring Benin’s second.

 

Zambia played for possession in the final six minutes, hoping to find a weakness in the Benin defence, only to come up short. Instead, Benin celebrated a solid victory.

 

Important aspects of the match:

            Dossou’s ninth-minute goal.

            Mounié scoring again late as he had in their first match.

            Yellow card for Mwepu.

            Zero shots on target for Zambia compared with seven for Benin. Fabien Farnolle did not need to make a single save for the match.

           

            Jordan Adéoti Player of the Match with most tackles overall, particularly in the first half, as well as most passes for Benin (and four intercepts and a clearance).

            Dossou with most successful dribble attempts for Benin, all in the first half.

            Khaled Adénon with five key intercepts and three clearances.

            Barazé with three key intercepts and three clearances.

 

            Mwila Phiri was deemed best player for Zambia with most passes overall and six intercepts; Salulani Phiri with most successful dribble attempts overall; Augustine Mulenga with most tackles for Zambia; Clemente Mwape with three key intercepts and two clearances.