The coach of the U20 Cheetahs, Mathias Déguénon, reacted to the 3-0 victory on a green field against Mali on Tuesday in the group stage. The Beninese technician regretted the withdrawal of the Aiglons.
Benin won’t have to break a sweat to secure their ticket to the second round of football at the Francophonie Games taking place in Kinshasa, DRC. The U20 Cheetahs qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament after Mali withdrew. The Aiglons, who were supposed to face the Beninese U20 team, declined to participate in the match.
As a result, the U20 Cheetahs, who won bronze at the U20 UFOA B Cup, were awarded a 3-0 victory on a green field. This marks their second victory, having defeated DRC 2-0 in the previous match. The Cheetahs finished at the top of Group A, ahead of the Junior Leopards who secured second place with three points.
A situation that benefits the Beninese team, as they will have time to prepare for their next match. However, Mathias Déguénon believed that his team should have played against the Malian team. “For a while now, with the U20 Beninese selection, Mali is a nation we have not yet encountered at this level. It would have been better if we had faced them tonight to better gauge the level of our young players, but unfortunately… It’s just postponed. Otherwise, it could have been a really good match,” regretted the Beninese coach, as reported by Talent+ Sports.
Benin will face the leader of Group B in the semi-finals, which will be determined after the last match between Burkina Faso and Congo Brazzaville.
