Benin face ‘miracle’ task despite Bafana Bafana’s slip-up, says coach Gernot Rohr
Still a lot to play for: Benin head coach Gernot Rohr is remaining cautious despite his team finding themselves top of Group C in World Cup qualifiers with two games left to play. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
Benin head coach Gernot Rohr has reacted with caution after his team’s World Cup qualification hopes were given a massive boost after Bafana Bafana were docked three points.
Benin now sit at the top of Group C, level with South Africa on 14 points, but with a superior goal difference. This was after Bafana Bafana were given the maximum punishment for fielding an ineligible Teboho Mokoena during their qualifier against Lesotho in March.
Regardless of the changes in the group, South Africa, who play their remaining games at home, are in a more favourable position than Benin, who must travel for both games.
"We’ll approach the last two matchdays with great humility. We still have two extremely tough matches, away to Rwanda and Nigeria," a cautious Rohr said, according to Foot-Africa.
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"South Africa will play twice at home. In fact, out of their ten matches, they will have played seven in South Africa. As for us, for the past two and a half years, we haven’t played a single game in Benin. All our matches have been away,” said the German.
"It’s a small miracle to still have a chance in these conditions. But it will be extremely difficult given our schedule.
"We’ll remain determined, of course. Maybe it’s a twist of fate. It’s up to us to make the most of it, even if it’s going to be very, very tough."
South Africa will play Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, where they will be designated as the away team. They then round off their campaign against Rwanda in Mbombela.
With the margins so fine, every detail will matter in the final stretch. Both South Africa and Benin know that one slip could decide who books their ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
For Bafana, the challenge is not just about overcoming administrative blunders, but proving on the pitch that they deserve to stand among the continent’s elite. For Rohr’s Benin, it’s about defying the odds away from home. Either way, Group C is heading for a dramatic conclusion.
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