Togo crush Benin 5-1 in Mohammedia turnaround

Togo turned an early deficit into a rout in Mohammedia on Tuesday, beating Benin 5-1 and giving Otto Pfister the emphatic friendly win he wanted before the next CAF qualifying window.

Gernot Rohr’s side struck first when Felipe Santos finished calmly in the 7th minute, briefly rewarding Benin’s aggressive press. The tone sharpened soon after: Khaled Boateng picked up a yellow card in the 20th minute, Abdou Samadou followed with a caution two minutes later, and the referee even noted another Benin booking without a name in the same moment on the provisional sheet.

Parity arrived in scrappy fashion. Mohamed Tijani bundled the ball into his own net in the 39th minute under pressure, dragging Togo level despite Benin’s early control and foreshadowing what followed.

The contest flipped in the 50th minute. Samadou lunged in again, collected a second yellow card, and was sent off, and Tijani was booked moments later as nerves frayed. Pfister immediately pushed his lines higher, sensing the advantage.

The response was ruthless. Komi Komlavi converted in the 58th minute from Djené Dakonam’s measured pass, and the captain then struck himself in the 68th minute to put Togo in front. Djodjo Karim slipped Kevin Denkey through in the 74th minute for the fourth, although the striker was booked for dissent in the aftermath. Pfister reacted in the 76th minute by introducing Kodjo Laba for Denkey and Yendoutie Sankoutcha for Fessou Sana.

Laba made the most of his cameo, sliding in the fifth goal in the 88th minute to underline the gulf once Benin were chasing with ten men. By then Rohr had emptied his bench: Guede Ahoudo replaced Junior Olugbade in the 53rd minute, Yacoubou Ouorou came on for Santos in the 63rd minute, and a double change nine minutes later brought on Rodrigue Amoussou for Derick Dodo and Jodel Dossou for Serge Ngobi. None of it stemmed the tide, and the referee also logged unnamed cautions at the 53rd and 73rd minutes as Benin’s discipline waned.

Pfister kept urging his side to stretch the pitch once the teamsheets confirmed no declared formations. Djené thriving as the spare defender behind Komlavi and Denkey proved decisive, combining an assist and a goal to swing the match. Benin’s structure disintegrated after the red card, leaving Rohr to manage damage rather than progression.

Key numbers

• Final score: Togo 5-1 Benin
• Goals: Felipe Santos 7', Mohamed Tijani own goal 39', Komi Komlavi 58' (assist Djené Dakonam), Djené Dakonam 68', Kevin Denkey 74' (assist Djodjo Karim), Kodjo Laba 88'
• Discipline: Khaled Boateng 20' yellow, Abdou Samadou 22' yellow and 50' second yellow leading to a red card, unidentified bookings at 22', 53', 73', Mohamed Tijani 50' yellow, Kevin Denkey 74' yellow
• Substitutions: Benin 53' Guede Ahoudo for Junior Olugbade, 63' Yacoubou Ouorou for Felipe Santos, 72' Rodrigue Amoussou for Derick Dodo, 72' Jodel Dossou for Serge Ngobi; Togo 76' Kodjo Laba for Kevin Denkey, 76' Yendoutie Sankoutcha for Fessou Sana

Outlook

Pfister’s squad now carries momentum into the autumn qualifiers, with Djené Dakonam and Komlavi reinforcing their status as automatic picks. Rohr must restore discipline quickly before Benin reconvene for the same window, especially with Samadou suspended and Santos losing rhythm after his 63rd-minute withdrawal. More international action is covered in Saudi Arabia vs Senegal and Iraq 0-2 Venezuela: Cásseres sets the rhythm in Bridgeview for those tracking the wider friendly cycle.