Andreas Hountondji, a Benin Republic player, has claimed the possibility of his country beating the Bafana Bafana and the Super Eagles to place first in Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifying series.
He noted that Benin’s game against Rwanda at the weekend is a must-win.
Meanwhile, South Africa, who were top of Group C, dropped to second place, level on 14 points with Benin after FIFA deducted 3 points from them for using an ineligible player.
Nigeria sits in third with 11 points, and had already been beaten by Benin Republic in the first leg of the two-legged meeting.
Hountondji, a Burnley loanee, said his team must be out of their minds not to utilise the opportunity presented by the points deduction from South Africa.
“Our next match, against Rwanda, is going to be pivotal. If we manage to pick up the three points, we’ll be very handily placed ahead of our final game, against Nigeria,” he told fifa.com.
Speaking on South Africa’s points deduction by FIFA, he added, “I saw the announcement, and I think we’d be mad not to see this as a real opportunity.
“We have two matches to go, and if we win them both, there’s a good chance we’ll qualify directly.
“Our destiny is in our own hands, so we have to believe in our chances,” Hountondji added.
Benin will play the Super Eagles in Nigeria on Tuesday and that would come after they must have faced Lesotho on Friday.