Benin’s national football team beat Lesotho 4-0 on Tuesday, and now their coach, Gernot Rohr, is hoping they can qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Benin are currently second in Group C of the World Cup qualifiers. They are three points ahead of Nigeria and three points behind group leaders South Africa.
There are only two games left, and Benin still have a chance to qualify for the tournament in the United States. However, they also need South Africa to drop points for that to happen.
Despite the challenge, Coach Rohr believes his team can do it. He says the players are strong and united, and they will fight until the end.
What Coach Rohr Said
“There are two games left, and anything can still happen,” Rohr said after the big win against Lesotho. “With 14 points now, we can still finish first in the group, or at least be one of the best second-place teams.”
“We must keep going like this. The team is now balanced, we don’t let in many goals, and we play well together.”
“We are hopeful, but we’re not getting carried away. We know it won’t be easy. We’ve already beaten Nigeria at home, and we know Rwanda too. So yes, it’s possible.”
Benin will play Rwanda and Nigeria in their final two qualifying matches next month.
Coach Gernot Rohr has experience at the World Cup. He helped Nigeria reach the 2018 tournament in Russia, although they didn’t make it past the group stage. He is also the last coach to lead Nigeria to the World Cup.