Benin Under-20 coach Raymond Tchayé has described his team’s 5-0 defeat to Ivory Coast as a “dark day” after the Young Cheetahs suffered a disappointing start to the WAFU B qualifying tournament for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations.
The heavy loss on 26 July leaves Benin with work to do if they are to revive their qualification hopes, with Tchayé already turning his attention to the team’s next fixture against Niger.
The WAFU B tournament serves as a qualification pathway to the 2027 U20 Africa Cup of Nations, making every group-stage result crucial for the participating West African nations.
Benin entered the competition hoping to begin their campaign on a positive note, but were comprehensively beaten by an Ivory Coast side that Tchayé admitted controlled the contest from start to finish.
Reflecting on the defeat, the Benin coach expressed disappointment with both the result and his team’s overall performance.
He described the match as a “dark day” and acknowledged that his players struggled to impose their style of play against opponents who proved superior in controlling possession and dictating the tempo.
According to Tchayé, several of the goals conceded were avoidable and stemmed from Benin’s own mistakes.
He pointed to errors in passing and build-up play, explaining that poor distribution repeatedly allowed Ivory Coast to punish his side.
Rather than blaming tactical decisions alone, the coach accepted that his players made too many costly errors during key moments of the game.
Tchayé also dismissed the suggestion that changing his tactical system during the match would have significantly altered the outcome.
Instead, he argued that Benin’s problems went beyond formation, insisting the team lost concentration after falling behind despite attempts to inject fresh energy through substitutions.
The coach explained that Ivory Coast capitalised on virtually every mistake his side made, extending their advantage as Benin struggled to recover.
He felt his players were unable to regain their composure once the game began slipping away.
One of the major concerns highlighted by Tchayé was his team’s mental approach during difficult periods of the match.
He believed the Young Cheetahs lacked the spontaneity and quick reactions needed to cope when placed under sustained pressure.
In contrast, he praised Ivory Coast’s organisation and ability to develop attacks efficiently throughout the contest.
The Benin coach’s assessment echoed observations from the post-match report published by Matinlibre, which noted that the opening goals came after distribution mistakes and poorly weighted passes from the Beninese defence.
Those early errors allowed Ivory Coast to establish control before going on to record an emphatic victory.
Despite the disappointing start, Tchayé insisted his side must quickly move on from the defeat.
