Benin – Ligue 1: SOBEMAP remains at the top, ASPAC and Coton FC hot on their heels.
The 16th matchday of the Benin Ligue 1 delivered its share of lessons this weekend. If AS SOBEMAP retains the lead of the championship, the battle behind tightens, driven by the successes of Coton FC, ASPAC, and AS Cotonou.
The 16th matchday of the Benin Ligue 1 delivered its share of lessons this weekend. If AS SOBEMAP retains the lead of the championship, the battle behind tightens, driven by the successes of Coton FC, ASPAC, and AS Cotonou.
The 16th round of the Benin Ligue 1 was marked by several matches played and gaps still as tight at the top of the table. On Saturday, Buffles FC let two precious points slip away by conceding a draw with Bani Gansè (1-1), a result that allows SOBEMAP to preserve its lead despite its narrow defeat to AS Cotonou (0-1) the following day.
Meanwhile, Damissa and ASVO drew (1-1), while USS-Kraké secured an important victory against Ayéma (2-0), even though the club remains mired at the bottom of the table. The Dragons, for their part, regained their smile by defeating the Cavaliers (3-1), while JS Pobè struck hard by winning convincingly against Dadjè (3-0).
On Sunday, Coton FC continued its rise by beating Dynamo d’Abomey (1-0), a victory that puts it on the podium. ASPAC, solid and pragmatic, confirmed its ambitions by defeating Loto-Popo (2-0), moving to five points behind the leader. Hodio, meanwhile, were held by Espoir (1-1), a draw that really does not help either side.
In the standings, AS SOBEM FC remains at the top with 34 points, chased by Buffles FC (32 points) and Coton FC (31 points). ASPAC (29 points) and AS Cotonou (28 points) remain fully in the title race. At the bottom, the situation worsens for Dadjè, the wooden spoon with 10 points, while Ayéma and the Cavaliers continue to fight for their survival.
The standings after the 16th matchday:
1st AS SOBEM FC – 34 points (+12)
2nd Buffles FC – 32 points (+11)
3rd Coton FC – 31 points (+09)
4th ASPAC FC – 29 points (+13)
5th AS Cotonou – 28 points (+06)
6th Loto-Popo FC – 27 points (+07)
7th Dynamo d’Abomey – 25 points (+03)
8th Damissa FC – 23 points (+02)
9th Hodio FC – 21 points (+00)
10th Espoir FC – 21 points (-05)
11th Dragons FC – 19 points (-05)
12th JS Pobè FC – 16 points (-04)
13th ASVO FC – 14 points (-07)
14th Bani Gansè – 13 points (-05)
15th USS-Kraké – 13 points (-06)
16th Ayéma FC – 12 points (-07)
17th US Cavaliers – 12 points (-08)
18th Dadjè – 10 points (-16)
