Our prediction for this Africa Cup of Nations 2024 match:
Benin
Match Time & Date:
17/06/2023
03:00 PM
Prediction: 1-1
Senegal
Benin and Senegal square off against each other at Stade de l’Amitie in the closing match of Saturday’s program. Benin are eager to climb to top two in Group L, but they will have a mountain to climb against the Lions of Teranga. New boss Gernot Rohr has called up veteran Stephane Sessegnon for the June qualifying matches, but the former PSG and WBA man is likely to start from the bench. Ligue 1 striker Steve Mounie is widely expected to lead the line for the hosts.
Senegal, on the other hand, aim to keep their 100% record in Group L intact, but seeing that their job is already done, we are tempted to put our money on draw. As always, a man to keep an eye on in the away team will be Liverpool ace Sadio Mane. The likes of Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gana Gueye made the cut as well.
Highlighted Player (Sadio Mané):
Sadio Mane is a Senegalese footballer who plays for Liverpool as a winger. Mane was born in Sedhiou Senegal on April 10, 1992, but he made his senior debut at French club Metz. In 2012 he moved to Red Bull Salzburg, with the pacey winger scoring 31 goals in 63 appearances for the club in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Mane then decided to take a step forward in his career as he joined famous Premier League club Liverpool for a fee of £34 million, signing a five-year contract with the Reds. The Senegal international quickly established himself as a first-team regular at Liverpool and, no doubt, he helped the Anfield outfit make it to the 2017/2018 Champions League final.
Speaking of trophies, Sadio Mane won the Austrian Bundesliga with Salzburg in the 2013/2014 season. In 2017 he was named Liverpool player of the year for the 2016/2017 season. Sadio Mane made his Senegal debut in 2012 and he was part of the Senegal team that participated at the 2012 Olympic tournament.
Highlighted Team (Senegal):
The Senegaesel national football team made their first appearance at Africa Cup of Nations back in 1965, with the team finishing the tournament in fourth place. The Lions of Teranga booked their place at the FIFA World Cup finals in 2002 (for the first time) and they did remarkably well to make it to the quarter-finals of the showpiece tournament in South Korea and Japan.
Senegal defeated Sweden in the last 16, with Henri Camara scoring the winner for the African team in the extra time. The Lions of Teranga have yet to win the African Cup of Nations, but they made it to the final of the tournament in 2002. Senegal faced Cameroon in the title game and they were more than unfortunate to lose the Africa Cup of Nations final on penalties.
Former Liverpool ace El Hadji Diouf is probably the most famous footballer who played for the Senegalese national team. Senegal play their home games at Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor and the capacity of the venue is 60,000.
