The remarkable victory marked a second consecutive triumph for the West African side, popularly known as the School Cheetahs, who have established themselves as one of the tournament’s most prolific attacking teams.
Just 24 hours after registering an emphatic 7-0 victory over Qatar in their opening Group B fixture, Benin produced an even more dominant display against India. Across their first two matches, they scored an astonishing 34 goals without conceding, demonstrating their strength in both attack and defence.
India struggled to cope with Benin’s relentless attacking pressure throughout the 80-minute encounter. The African side repeatedly breached the opposition’s defensive lines, converting their opportunities with remarkable efficiency.
John Ethan Hountinmé, François Adissa and Osvaldo Sèmèvo Loko were among the standout performers, each scoring four goals. Izoudine Boukary also made a significant contribution with a hat-trick, while two own goals by Indian players further increased the winning margin.
The result highlighted the considerable difference between the two teams on the day. Benin’s attacking players maintained their effectiveness throughout the contest, leaving India unable to prevent an exceptionally heavy defeat.
Under the guidance of coach Séverin Danha, the School Cheetahs have demonstrated impressive attacking capabilities alongside a disciplined defensive approach. Their ability to score freely while keeping consecutive clean sheets has provided a strong foundation for their campaign.
Elsewhere in Group B, China’s second team continued its winning run with a convincing 6-0 victory over Qatar.
The Chinese side had previously defeated India ISSO-2 by 15-0 in their opening fixture, ensuring that both China and Benin collected six points from their first two matches.
Despite being level on points, Benin held a substantial advantage in goal difference. Danha’s side boasted an exceptional record of +34, compared with China’s +21, placing the West African team at the top of the group standings.
With India and Qatar both remaining without points, neither side could catch the leading pair before the final round of group fixtures.
Under the competition’s qualification format, the top two teams from each group advance to the round of 16. Consequently, Benin and China secured their places in the knockout stage with a match to spare.
Their remaining group encounter would therefore determine the final positions at the top of Group B rather than decide which teams progressed to the next round.
For Benin, the latest success represents another important chapter in their participation in international school football.
The country is competing in the Under-18 School World Cup for the third consecutive time, having experienced contrasting fortunes in its previous two appearances.
Benin finished fifth in the 2023 edition, demonstrating the potential of their emerging young footballers. However, they were unable to maintain that level of performance the following year, finishing 19th in the 2024 tournament.
Those previous campaigns provided competitive experience for the country as it continued its involvement in the international competition.
Their commanding performances in the opening two matches of the latest edition suggest that Benin could be capable of improving upon their earlier results.
The 27-goal victory over India was particularly striking because of the scale of the scoreline. Combined with their seven-goal triumph against Qatar, it underlined the attacking strength of a team that has made an exceptionally productive start.
Their defensive record has been equally impressive. Having avoided conceding a single goal in their opening two fixtures, the School Cheetahs have shown consistency that could prove valuable as the competition progresses.
However, the knockout rounds will present different challenges. Unlike the group stage, where teams have several opportunities to collect points, a defeat in the elimination rounds can bring a campaign to an immediate end.
Benin will therefore need to maintain their concentration and effectiveness against opponents who have also progressed from their respective groups.
With qualification already secured, Danha’s players can now turn their attention towards maintaining their momentum and preparing for the more demanding matches ahead.
Having finished fifth in 2023 and 19th in 2024, Benin will be hoping that their impressive opening performances provide the platform for their strongest campaign yet.
