Benin Republic captain Steve Mounie has admitted he hopes his country’s final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Libya will not be played in the North African nation.
Softfootball understands that Mounie’s comments come in the wake of the controversy surrounding Nigeria’s trip to Libya last month, when the Super Eagles delegation was stranded at an airport for more than 10 hours after their flight was diverted to an unexpected destination.
The incident prompted the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to award Nigeria a 3-0 victory, while Libya were fined $50,000 following a disciplinary investigation.
Benin will first face Nigeria in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on November 14 before travelling to face Libya in their final Group D qualifier four days later.
Mounie expressed hope that CAF would review the venue for the Libya fixture, given the circumstances surrounding the Super Eagles’ experience.
Despite his concerns, the striker remains optimistic about Benin’s qualification chances, insisting the team still controls its own destiny heading into the final two matches.
The Cheetahs were left frustrated after dropping points against Rwanda in their previous outing, but Mounie believes positive results against Nigeria and Libya will be enough to secure a place at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
