In a gripping World Cup Qualifier, Zimbabwe leveled a two-goal deficit against Benin to draw 2-2. Steve Mounié and Dokou Dodo scored for Benin early in the match, but Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi and Knowledge Musona equalized in a determined second-half effort. Benin leads Group C, while Zimbabwe and Nigeria sit at the lower end of the standings.
In the World Cup Qualifying match on Thursday, Zimbabwe demonstrated resilience by recovering from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Benin. The match commenced with Benin’s striker, Steve Mounié, capitalizing on a goalkeeping error, netting the first goal within twelve minutes. Benin maintained their momentum, with Dokou Dodo scoring a second goal from a counterattack in the 35th minute, putting pressure on Zimbabwe.
However, the Warriors regrouped, with experienced forwards including Knowledge Musona and Khamat Billiat energizing the team. Just before halftime, Marshall Munetsi scored to narrow the gap for Zimbabwe, offering a glimmer of hope. In the second half, Zimbabwe’s manager Michael Nees replaced Prince Dube with Tawanda Chirewa in midfield, which invigorated the team.
The equalizer came in the 59th minute from Al-Okhdood winger Knowledge Musona, who scored from the edge of the penalty area. Despite persistent efforts from both teams to secure a victory, the match ended in a stalemate. Following this draw, Benin leads Group C with 8 points, followed closely by Rwanda and South Africa at 7 points each, while Nigeria and Zimbabwe are at the bottom of the group.
Zimbabwe’s next challenge will be against Nigeria at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on March 24, while Benin prepares to host South Africa in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on March 25. Currently, the group standings indicate that the winners will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and four runners-up will advance to a playoff for Africa’s intercontinental qualifying spot.
The Zimbabwean football team displayed commendable tenacity to equalize against Benin, rescuing a point in their World Cup qualifying match. Despite falling behind early, the Warriors managed to regroup and respond effectively. The results leave Benin at the top of the group, while both Zimbabwe and Nigeria remain in challenging positions as they look ahead to their next fixtures.
Original Source: www.panafricafootball.com
