Benin call on Italian based teenage striker Candas Fiogbé
Benin coach Gernot Rohr handed a first call up to Italian based teenage striker Candas Fiogbé as he named a 25-man squad to take on Zimbabwe and South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this month.
The 19-year-old Fiogbe has yet to play a senior match but been competing for Atalanta’s under-20 team in Italy’s Primavera 1 league and for their under-19 side in the UEFA Youth League, where he has netted six goals.
There is also a recall for defender Brandon Agounon, who was in the squad one year ago but has yet to win a cap.
But Benin must do without the injured French-based pair of Aiyegun Tosin and Cédric Hountondji while Olivier Verdon has been left out for disciplinary reasons, Rohr told a press conference on Monday.
Verdon, 29, competed for Benin at the 2019 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt.
There are only two home-based players in the squad with the rest drawn from clubs in 17 different countries.
Benin play away against Zimbabwe in Durban, South Africa on March 20 and then travel to Abidjan in the Ivory Coast where they are hosting their game against Bafana Bafana on March 25.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Saturnin Allagbé (Botev Vratsa, Bulgaria), Marcel Dandjinou (JDR Stars, South Africa), Serges Obassa (Remo Stars, Nigeria)
Defenders: Moise Adilehou (Laval, France), Brandon Agounon (Châteauroux, France), Rodrigue Fassinou (Coton Sport Benin), David Kiki (Steaua Bucharest, Romania), Rachid Moumini (Ayéma), Tamimou Ouorou (Hatta, United Arab Emirates), Yohan Roche (Petrolul 52, Romania), Rabiou Sankamao (Wydad Fès, Morocco), Mohamed Tijani (Yverdon Sport, Switzerland)
Midfielders: Mattéo Ahlinvi (Arsenal Tula, Russia), Mariano Ahouangbo (Soliman, Tunisia), Gislain Ahoudo (Gabès, Tunisia), Samadou Attidjikou (Al Masry, Egypt), Sessi d’Almeida (Apollon Limassol. Cyprus), Dodo Dokou (Smouha, Egypt), Imourane Hassane (Grasshoppers Zurich, Switzerland)
Forwards: Jodel Dossou (Victoria Rosport, Luxembourg), Candas Fiogbé (Atalanta, Italy), Andréas Hountondji (Standard Liège, Belgium), Steve Mounié (FC Augsburg, Germany), Junior Olaitan (Grenoble, France), Steve-Waren Traoré (Haka, Finland)