Benin finished 71st at the first FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, with five wins, one draw and four defeats. Head coach Ghislain Patrick Agoli-Agbo, who regrets missed chances, wants to turn the Baku experience into progress.
The first FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival was held in Baku from 24 to 30 October, with 189 nations and an eight-a-side format. Among the 52 African nations taking part, according to FIFA, Benin finished 71st, according to La Nation Bénin, with five wins, one draw and four defeats.
That run leaves head coach Ghislain Patrick Agoli-Agbo with regrets. “We probably should have won eight and only bowed down against Italy and Scotland,” he told La Nation Bénin.
Five wins and some regrets
With five wins in ten matches, Benin believes, through its head coach, that the tally could have been higher. The two defeats against Italy and Scotland are the ones he cites.
Benin remains far from the top of the standings. In a tournament bringing together 189 nations, 71st place reflects a record of five wins, one draw and four defeats.
Africa in the shop window
That record contrasts with those of several national teams on the continent. Guinea, the best African representative, took 6th place in the elite Tier A, while Ghana finished 7th with 44 goals in ten matches and eight wins, including a 4-0 victory over Colombia to close out, according to Blacknews.uk. Morocco (13th) and Egypt (14th) are in the top 15, with Cameroon in 23rd.
In the tier finals, Zambia beat Portugal 5-2 in the Tier B final, and Central African Republic beat Bangladesh 4-1 in the Tier E final, again according to Blacknews.uk. Kenya finished 26th out of 189 nations, the best CECAFA team, with five wins, two draws, three defeats and 27 goals scored, according to X Sport Feed Life.
Towards progress
Ghislain Patrick Agoli-Agbo now wants to make the most of that experience. “Turning the Baku experience into progress,” he told La Nation Bénin.
No next official fixture for the national team has been announced at this stage.