Senegal face Benin in a crunch Africa Cup of Nations fixture at Grand Stade de Tanger on Tuesday evening.The Teranga Lions dug deep to claim a 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their last game.Benin claime...
Senegal face Benin in a crunch Africa Cup of Nations fixture at Grand Stade de Tanger on Tuesday evening.
The Teranga Lions dug deep to claim a 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their last game.
Benin claimed a 1-0 victory over Botswana, marking their first win in the competition and putting them just one point adrift of Senegal.
Match preview
Senegal sit joint-top of Group D with four points and need at least a draw to secure a place in the knockout stages.
Pape Thiaw’s side have netted four times and produced a 6.67 expected goals (xG) — a group high for both metrics — and have conceded just once.
Senegal enjoyed total control throughout in their opening fixture against Botswana, who they beat 3-0, but they could not replicate the same against DR Congo.
Senegal will look to wrap up the group stage with a victory, knowing that qualification for the round of 16 is yet to be guaranteed.
Benin began their campaign with a controversial 1-0 defeat to DR Congo, before saving their qualification hopes with a victory over bottom-placed Botswana.
Gernot Rohr’s side asserted their dominance in the first half against Botswana but were unable to sustain the control after the break.
Benin need a much-improved performance to prevent a defeat against a superior Teranga Lions side.
Head-to-head
Both sides have met three times at AFCON, with Senegal winning two and the other ending in a draw.
Team news
Senegal and Benin have a clean bill of health ahead of their Tuesday meeting.
Predicted line-ups
Senegal (4-2-3-1): Edouard Mendy, Krepin Diatta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moussa Niakhate, Ismail Jakobs, Pape Gueye, Idrissa Gueye, Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye, Ismaila Sarr, Nicolas Jackson.
Benin (4-3-3): Marcel Dandjinou, Yohan Roche, Olivier Verdon, Mohamed Tijani, Tamimou Ouorou, Dodo Dokou, Sessi D’Almeida, Imourane Hassane, Junior Olaïtan, Steve Mounie, Aiyegun Tosin.
Prediction
We expect Senegal to claim a 3-0 victory.
Stats from 11v11.com & whoscored.com
Category: General Sports
