Tanzania and Benin have done excellently to navigate themselves into contention at the top of Group J in FIFA World Cup qualifying, and now square off in the first matchup of their doubleheader to establish who is the top team in the group. The Taifa Stars will host on Thursday in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam, and 10,000 fans will be allowed into the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium which will surely boost the national team’s hopes of obtaining three points. A few regulars will be missing for the hosts, but important players based abroad including star striker Mbwana Samatta, Novatus Dismas and Wydad Casablanca’s Simon Msuva are available for selection.
Benin continue to prove themselves as a team that is always well organized defensively under gaffer Michel Dussuyer, but success on the road has always been elusive for Les Écureuils. BJ Foot’s Gerard Viwami mentions that the Squirrels broke the curse with their surprise victory in Madagascar in September, but before that the last road victory in a qualifying campaign came in 2016 against South Sudan. Viwami provides a probable starting eleven for Benin that will likely be led at the top by striker Steve Mounié as he previews what should be a true test for the West African side.
