Preview: Benin vs Botswana - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams looking to revive their Africa Cup of Nations campaigns after opening defeats meet at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah on Saturday, as Benin and Botswana aim to secure vital points to keep their qualification hopes alive.

The former narrowly lost to Congo DR last time out, while the latter were on the receiving end of a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Senegal.

Match preview

Despite entering the Nations Cup on a downward spiral, Benin certainly showed signs of life in their Group D curtain-raiser against Congo DR at the Al Barid Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

However, the West Africans could not avoid a 1-0 loss as Theo Bongonda struck in the 16th minute, which proved decisive after the Video Assistant Referee ruled out Cedric Bakambu's early second-half goal for offside.

Gernot Rohr's men have now lost three straight matches for the first time since 2022, and more worryingly, they have failed to score during that run while conceding eight goals.

Aiming to avoid a fourth group-stage exit in five AFCON outings, Les Guepards face a must-win scenario against Botswana - a defeat would almost certainly end their hopes of progressing.

Benin face the lowest-ranked team in the group, who sit 46 places below them in the FIFA rankings, and will undoubtedly view Saturday's clash in Rabat as their most realistic chance to claim three points before concluding proceedings with a daunting assignment against Senegal.

Botswana were beaten for a fourth consecutive AFCON group-stage match by one of the tournament favourites, Senegal, who ran out emphatic 3-0 winners at the Stade Ibn-Batouta on Tuesday.

Morena Ramoreboli's men repelled everything thrown at them for the opening 40 minutes but ultimately fell apart when Nicolas Jackson broke the deadlock five minutes from half time.

The Zebras are now seven matches without a clean sheet and eight without a victory since an inconsequential 2-0 triumph over Somalia in their FIFA World Cup qualifier on March 25.

Botswana sit at the bottom of Group D after round one and now face an uphill task to reach the knockout stages on their return to the continental stage for only the second time and a first in 13 years.

The Southern Africans still have dark memories of their second group match at the 2012 Nations Cup, when they were beaten 6-1 by Guinea, which remains their heaviest defeat in the competition's history.

Benin Africa Cup of Nations form:

Benin form (all competitions):

Botswana Africa Cup of Nations form:

Botswana form (all competitions):

Team News

Junior Olaitan, Steve Mounie, Andreas Hountondji, Mohamed Tijani, and Marcel Dandjinou return from suspension this weekend, boosting Benin's squad options.

Mounie and Hountondji are expected to start, with the latter set to make his 20th national appearance, two-and-a-half years after his debut.

After recording a whopping 14 saves, Goitseone Phoko came away from his first AFCON outing on a high and should start again.

No active player has more Botswana goals than Kabelo Seakanyeng, but his 18-month drought leaves the team seeking other sources of attacking inspiration.

Benin possible starting lineup:

Dandjinou; Tijani, Verdon, Roche, Moumini; Ouorou, Dodo, Imourane, Kiki; Mounie, Olaitan

Botswana possible starting lineup:

Phoko; Johnson, Ditlhokwe, Gaolaolwe, Velaphi; Ditsele; Seakanyeng, Mohutsiwa, Cooper, Orebonye; Kebatho

We say: Benin 1-0 Botswana

After opening defeats, both teams will treat Saturday's game as a must-win.

Benin will have a strengthened squad with several key players back available and this should tip the balance in their favour, leading us to predict a narrow win for the West Africans.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.