Benin claimed their first victory in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers by beating Mauritania 2-1 in the second round of Group F.
The Guepards made a strong start and took control of the match, building a two-goal advantage before holding on for the win at the final whistle.
Rodolfo Aloka was the decisive figure for Benin, scoring both of his side’s goals. The forward opened the scoring in the 31st minute and struck again immediately after half-time, finding the net in the 46th minute.
His second goal gave Benin a comfortable lead and left Mauritania facing a difficult task to get back into the contest.
The Mourabitounes improved late on and reduced the deficit in the 80th minute when Aboubakary Koita converted a penalty. The goal gave Mauritania renewed hope of completing a comeback, but they could not find the equaliser before the end of the match.
The result leaves Benin with four points from their opening two games and puts them at the top of Group F. They are level on points with Burkina Faso, setting up a closely contested battle in the group as the qualifying campaign continues.