Captain Stephane Sessegnon, who has been without a club, has been named by Benin Republic as a “non-playing captain”, just as the Super Eagles have done with Ahmed Musa, coach Michel Dussuyer has disclosed.
Dussuyer said the former West Bromwich Albion forward has been listed “to galvanise the team to victory” against Nigeria and Sierra Leone, but will not see action and was not listed on the 23-man squad.
The Frenchman yesterday finally announced his squad for the decisive AFCON 2021 qualifiers with not one player from the domestic league.
Thanks to the travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Benin can now count on as many as 12 players from France to shock star-studded Nigeria and qualify for the AFCON to be hosted by Cameroon in January.
The listed players include goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbe, defenders Youssouf Assogba, Cedric Hountondji, Emmanuel Imorou as well as forwards Josel Dossu and Steve Mounie.
THE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Saturnin Allagbé (Dijon/France), Fabien Farnolle (Sidama Cofee/ Ethiopia), Marcel Dandjinou (JDR Stars/South Africa)
Defenders: Youssouf Assogba (Amiens/France), Séidou Barazé (SC Shiltigheim/France), Khaled Adenon (USAvranches/France), Moïse Adilèhou (Breda/Netherlands), Cédric Hountondji (Clermont/France), Yohan Roche (Rodez/France), David Kiki (PFC Montana/Bulgaria), Emmanuel Imorou (Évian TGG/France)
Midfielders: Sessi d’Almeida (Valenciennes/France), Jordan Adéoti (Annecy FC/France), Anaane Tidjani (Menemenspor/Turkey), Rodrigue Kossi (Club Africain/Tunisia), Mattéo Ahlinvi (Nîmes/France), Jérôme Agossa (Djoliba AC /Mali)
Forwards: Michaël Poté (Bandirmaspor/Turkey), Cebio Soukou (Bielefeld/Germany), Jodel Dossou (Clermont/France), Marcellin Koukpo ( CR Belouizdad/Algéria), Steve Mounié (Brest/France), Jacques Bessan (Olympique Béjà/Tunisia)
