Two goals in the second half against Cape Verde saw Benin fill the final spot in Group B of the ongoing Wafu Cup of Nations in the Central region of Ghana Tuesday night.
The Squirrels were lucky to still have a full complement of players when their goalkeeper, Steve Glodjinon, brought down Euclides Ramos just outside the box. as early as the second minute of the game.
Despite being the last man, the referee only branded Glodjinon with a yellow card.
From the resulting free-kick, Euclides Ramos’ 22-yard strike hit the side netting.
That was about as exciting as the first half got with both sides squandering possession in the final third of the field.
The next decent scoring chance came on the stroke of half time when Idihamin da Conceicao met a corner with a strong header, but his ten-yard effort was superbly tipped over the crossbar by Benin’s keeper.
The half ended goalless.
The first chance of the second half came ten minutes after the restart when Cape Verde’s Euclides Ramos drove into the box from the right flank, but his powerful 16-yard strike was palmed away by the keeper.
In the 63rd minute Benin took the lead with a dynamite shot from Ibrahim Ogoulola which found the corner of the net from just inside the box, 1-0.
Five minutes later Euclides Ramos nearly levelled matters for Cape Verde when his long range free-kick was tipped over the crossbar by the keeper.
Ibrahim Ogoulola almost found his second goal of the game in the 80th minute, but his thunderbolt volley from 20-yards out was magnificently touched over the target by the Cape Verde keeper.
Agnide Osseni wrapped-up matters on the night with Benin’s second goal in the dying seconds of the match after concluding a well-worked passing move with a clinical finish, 2-0.
Lineups:
Benin: 1. Glodjinon, 3. Fassinou, 5. Salomon, 18. Counou, 12. Bay-Yere, 8. Mama, 15. Ogoulola, 11. Gomez, 9. Saliou (4. Hougbedji 56’), 17. Aboki (13. Osseni 76’), 10. Koukpo.
Cape Verde: 12. M Gomes, 3. A Gomes, 4. Andrade, 13. Da Conceicao (11. Varela 83’), 15. Morais, 20. Semedo, 22. J D Monteiro, 8. Pina (9. Lopes 69’), 7. Ramos, 10. Vaz da Costa (6. Dos Santos 60’), 18. J E Monteiro.
