2026 U-20 Women’s World Cup (Qualifiers): Benin tames Egypt in Cairo

The Young Amazons of Benin clinched a precious victory (1-0) in Egypt and take a solid lead ahead of the return leg of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

Mission accomplished for Benin’s Young Amazons. This Friday, February 6, 2026, in Cairo, the Benin U-20 women’s team secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Egypt, on the occasion of the first leg of the third round of World Cup qualifying. An away win that puts Abdoulaye Ouzérou’s wards in an ideal position ahead of the return match.

The match, played at high intensity, lived up to its promise of a tight duel. Although they dominated in the first half, the Beninese women ran into a solid Egyptian defense and a lack of clinical finishing in front of goal. The two teams headed to the locker room with a 0-0 draw, leaving everything to play for in the second half.

It was finally a gem that made the difference. In the 68th minute, Romaine Gandonou, the Tambours’ forward, etched her name in the history of this campaign. Regaining the ball roughly 45 meters from the opponents’ goal, she unleashed a powerful and precise strike that found the back of the net, unleashing her bench and her team. An iconic goal to open the scoring.

Now leading on the scoreboard, the Beninese girls showed remarkable maturity in managing their lead. United and disciplined, they managed to contain the Egyptian assaults in the final moments to preserve this precious 1-0 victory until the final whistle.

This result gives Benin a minimal but immense psychological advantage ahead of the decisive leg. The return match is scheduled in a week, on Thursday, February 13, at the neutral venue of Kégué Stadium in Lomé, Togo. The Young Amazons will only need a draw to secure their ticket to the next phase and continue dreaming of the World Cup. The final stretch promises to be thrilling.