Benin Republic have climbed to the top of Group C in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday.
Steve Mounie opened the scoring for Benin early in the match, taking advantage of a goalkeeping error by Washington Arubi. The visitors extended their lead in the 35th minute through Douko Dodo, who finished brilliantly after receiving a well-placed pass from Junior Olaitan.
Zimbabwe, however, responded just before halftime as Marshall Munetsi found the net with an assist from Jordan Zemura, giving the home side renewed hope. Their persistence paid off in the 59th minute when captain Knowledge Musona equalized with a well-executed free-kick. Zimbabwe nearly completed the comeback, but Munetsi squandered a golden opportunity to secure all three points.
With this result, Benin Republic now sit atop Group C with eight points from five games, while Zimbabwe remain bottom with just three points. Benin will look to maintain their lead when they host South Africa on March 25, while Zimbabwe will face a tough challenge against Nigeria’s Super Eagles on the same day.
