Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying clash between Rwanda and Benin, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Rwanda and Benin are back in action in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they go head to head at the Amahoro National Stadium on Tuesday.
Having suffered defeat in the first of their two consecutive October clashes at the weekend, the Wasps will be looking to get one over the visitors and secure their first win of the campaign.
Match preview
© Imago
Rwanda suffered a huge blow in the quest for a place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as they were beaten 3-0 by Benin when the two nations squared off at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny on Friday.
Augsburg striker Steve Mounie opened the scoring in the seventh minute to set the hosts on their way before Hassane Imourane and substitute Andreas Hountondji added to the scoreline in the second half to cap off an impressive victory.
Prior to that, Rwanda kicked off the campaign with two back-to-back stalemates, including a somewhat impressive goalless draw against a star-studded Nigeria side in Kigali on September 10.
Torsten Spittler‘s men have now failed to taste victory in any of their last 10 AFCON qualifying matches, losing three and picking seven draws since scraping a 1-0 win over Mozambique in March 2021.
Rwanda, who are 130th in the latest FIFA World Rankings, will be desperate to turn things around on Tuesday as they eye just their second-ever AFCON appearance, having first featured in the continental showpiece back in 2004.
For Benin, Friday’s victory was another step in the right direction under head coach Gernot Rohr, who has been tasked with leading the nation to their first AFCON since 2019, where they reached the quarter-finals.
The Cheetahs kicked off their qualifying journey with a 3-0 hammering at the hands of three-time African champions Nigeria on September 7, but back-to-back wins over Libya and Rwanda has seen them rise into second-place in Group D, one point off top spot.
With Friday’s result, Benin have now picked up four wins from their last five matches across all competitions, including successive victories over Rwanda and Nigeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers back in June.
Benin will be backing themselves to pick up where they left off at the weekend and as they head into Tuesday’s clash unbeaten in their last six games against Rwanda, claiming four wins and two draws since a 1-0 defeat in October 2011.
Rwanda Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:
Rwanda form (all competitions):
Benin Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:
Benin form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
As for Rwanda, Thierry Manzi was forced off injured with a first-half injury at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny on Friday and the Al Ahli Tripoli man is set to sit out Tuesday’s clash.
In his absence, 23-year-old Clement Niyigena, who made his senior debut in January 2022, should come into the fold, forming the back four with Claude Niyomugabo, Ange Mutsinzi and Fitina Ombolenga.
Up top, Gilbert Mugisha, Jojea Kwizera and Innocent Nshuti should lead the Wasps’ attack, while we expect an unchanged midfield trio of Kevin Muhire, Djihad Bizimana and Bonheur Mugisha.
With his opener on Friday, Mounie now has 19 goals in 56 appearances for Benin and the 30-year-old, who made his debut in October 2015, should spearhead the attack once again.
He should be joined in the final third by Jodel Dossou and 22-year-old Junior Olaitan while the back four of Rachid Moumini, Cedric Hountondji, Mohamed Tijani and Yohan Roche will look to keep a second successive clean sheet.
Sessi D’Almeida has started each of Benin’s last nine matches and the Apollon Limassol man should team up with Imourane and 20-year-old Dokou Dodo in midfield.
Rwanda possible starting lineup:
Ntwari; Niyomugabo, Niyigena, Mutsinzi, Ombolenga; Muhire, B Bizimana, Mugisha; G Mugisha, Kwizera, Nshuti
Benin possible starting lineup:
Dandjinou; Moumini, Hountondji, Tijani, Roche; D’Almeida, Imourane, Dossou; Dodo, Olaitan, Mounie
We say: Rwanda 0-2 Benin
After stumbling to the qualifying campaign, Benin have turned things around in their last games and will be looking to move top of the table on Tuesday. While Rwanda will look to make a positive reaction to Friday’s defeat, Rohr’s men boast the firepower needed to get this one over the line and we fancy them to come away with another comfortable victory.
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