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Beninese Jordan Adeoti (left) and Seidou Baraze fight with Cameroon's Arnaud Djoum. REUTERS / Amr Abdallah Dalsh

The Benin team will play the second round of an African Cup of Nations football for the first time in its history. It will be against Morocco. The Beninese won the point they needed to finish third best, this July 2 in Ismailia, against Cameroonians already qualified. "Indomitable Lions" who will challenge Nigeria in the round of 16.

From our special envoy to Ismailia,

For the first time in its history, the Benin team will play the second round of an African Cup of Nations, after three failures (2004, 2008 and 2010). This is the charm of 24-team football competitions. We can qualify with three draws without a win. This is the case of Beninois who have still not won any match in the finals of the CAN . But they can boast of having been solid and solidary, to finish third in Group F, behind Ghanaians and Cameroonians.

Changes without consequences

Faced with a Cameroon already qualified, because assured of finishing worse worst third, Benin needed only a small point, this July 2 in Ismailia. This positive and decisive result, the coach Michel Dussuyer tried to win him by aligning David Kiki, David Djigla, Seibou Mama and Jodel Dossou.

On the Cameroonian side, we also (still) made several changes compared to the sad 0-0 draw against Ghana. Five players were out of the starting lineup (Gaëtan Bong, Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, Georges Mandjeck, Clinton Njie, Christian Bassogog) and were replaced by Yaya Banana, Arnaud Djoum, Stephane Bahoken, Pierre Kunde and Eric-Maxim Choupo -Moting.

The Benin and Cameroon have left on a draw and blank that allows them both to qualify for the knockout stages. RFI / Pierre René-Worms

This great upheaval, however, did not prevent the meeting from being slightly less boring than the two previous parts of Group F.

Nigeria-Cameroon and Morocco-Benin

The reigning African champions have nevertheless pushed, by periods, to score. Especially Choupo-Moting from a shot down (22nd) or Karl Toko Ekambi with a header (5th) and a shot (63rd). But they never managed to destabilize a Benin selection well grouped.

As a result, the "Indomitable Lions" must settle for second place in Group F. In the round of 16, they will face Nigeria on July 6 in Alexandria. The "Squirrels", they will embark on the conquest of Morocco on July 5 in Cairo.

The joy of the Squirrels of Benin who qualify for the first time in their history in the round of 16 of a CAN. RFI / Pierre René-Worms

► Also read: CAN 2019: Calendar, results and standings of the Africa Cup

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