Zimbabwe 2-2 Benin Republic: Pressure on Nigeria as World Cup Group C opponents battle to draw

Zimbabwe’s national football team, the Warriors, staged a dramatic comeback to secure a thrilling 2-2 draw against Benin Republic in a pivotal FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

At the Moses Mabhida Stadium, both teams battled in a Group C fixture.

It was a bright start for Benin, who took the lead in the 34th minute through striker Steve Mounié, capitalizing on a defensive error by the Warriors.

Benin doubled their advantage just before halftime, in the 35th minute, when midfielder Doukou Dodo rifled a long-range effort into the net, giving his team a commanding 2-0 lead.

The early deficit left Zimbabwe facing an uphill battle but struck back in the 44th minute through midfielder Marshall Munetsi.

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The goal ignited hope among the Zimbabwean fans and they went to the breakdown.

Zimbabwe refused to surrender and in the 59th minute, forward Knowledge Musona leveled the score at 2-2 with a clinical finish after a swift counterattack.

There would be no goals scored again as both sides settled for a 2-2 draw.

The victory means that Benin Republic are now top of the group while Zimbabwe pile pressure on the Super Eagles of Nigeria ahead of their next game against the Amavubi of Rwanda.