Warriors suffer defeat to Benin in World Cup qualifier
By Auther Chimbgwa
The Zimbabwe Warriors lost 1-0 to Benin in Ivory Coast in a FIFA 2026 World Cup CAF Group C qualifier played at the Alassane Ouattara stadium in Ivory Coast on Friday evening.
Germany Bundesliga star Steve Mounie’s 77th minute header was enough for Benin to end Zimbabwe’s faint hopes of ever making it to next year’s World Cup finals to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The match was played in Ivory Coast as Benin, the hosts of the day, were barred from hosting any international matches as they do not have a CAF approved stadium to stage the games.
Zimbabwe have now drawn four times and lost three matches in their current World Cup campaign.
They drew 2-2 against Benin in the reverse fixture which the country hosted in Rwanda.
The Warriors remain miserably rooted at the foot of the World Cup Group C log standings.
Although the Warriors’ game against Benin on Friday was generally balanced, it was the West Africans who took their chance at the end.
In the first half, Denmark based Munashe Garan’anga was the first to test Marcel Dandjinou, in goals for Benin, with a glancing header which he parried away.
Zimbabwean goalkeeper Washington Arubi was called after 46 minutes ofn play to punch away a fierce header from close range by a Benin attacker.
The Warriors failed to carve out clear cut chances in the second half. At the end, it was Mounie who settled the match as a contest with his priceless effort.
Michael Nees brought on four substitutes into the match late in the game, including red-hot striker Tymon Machope, but the time was perhaps insufficient for them to make any difference.
Neighbours South Africa beat Lesotho 3-0 to stay at the top of Group C in the FIFA World Cup CAF Qualifiers with 16 points. Benin are second on the table with 11 points.
Rwanda are third with 8 points and Nigeria are fourth with 7 points with a game against Rwanda this Saturday. Lesotho have 7 games with 6 points while Zimbabwe are bottom with 4 points from 7 games.
South Africa need two wins to qualify for the FIFA World Cup although they still have three games to go.
Giants Nigeria need to win all the four remaining fixtures including the match against Rwanda to restore hopes of qualifying for the global football showcase.
They pray that 3 points are docked from South Africa for using an ineligible player.
