Benin vs Senegal Player Ratings as Koulibaly Sent Off, Seck & Diallo Seal 3-0 AFCON Win

Senegal demonstrated their class with a resounding 3-0 victory over a struggling Benin side. The match, which you can revisit here, was a testament to Senegal's depth and resilience. Even after going down to ten men, they never looked like losing control.

The Lions of Teranga asserted their dominance early. Abdoulaye Seck broke the deadlock with a powerful header before halftime, setting the tone for what was to come. It was a deserved lead for a team that looked sharper in every department.

The second half brought more drama. Habib Diallo doubled the lead with a clinical finish just after the hour mark. However, the biggest talking point was the straight red card shown to captain Kalidou Koulibaly for a reckless challenge, a decision confirmed by VAR. Instead of crumbling, Senegal held firm and even added a third goal late on through a Cherif Ndiaye penalty, sealing a comprehensive and impressive win. Here are Sportsdunia's Benin vs Senegal player ratings.

Abdoulaye Seck Scores and Dominates at the Back in Senegal Player Ratings

Check out the Senegal player ratings for the Benin vs Senegal fixture.

Goalkeeper

Edouard Mendy - 8.0: A really commanding performance from the shot-stopper. He made four crucial saves, looking unbeatable at times. What stood out to us was his confidence in claiming crosses and his sharp distribution. He was a calm presence even after the team went down to ten men. A top-tier display.

Defenders

Kalidou Koulibaly - 4.0: This was a strange one. He was playing so well, winning his duels and leading the backline with authority. Then, a moment of complete madness led to a deserved red card. It was a shocking decision from a player of his experience. He let his team and his manager down, simple as that.

Abdoulaye Seck - 8.5: Our Man of the Match, without a doubt. He opened the scoring with a fantastic header that gave the keeper no chance. Defensively, he was a giant, making five clearances and winning his battles. It was a complete performance, showing his value at both ends of the pitch. Just brilliant.

Krépin Diatta - 7.5: A constant menace down the right flank. He provided a lovely assist and his crossing was a problem for Benin all night. We noticed he was diligent with his defensive duties too making two crucial tackles. He did lose the ball a few times but his attacking contribution was immense.

El Hadji Malick Diouf - 7.0: A very solid and promising performance. He was sound defensively, winning all his tackles and not getting flustered. Going forward, he created two good chances and delivered some dangerous crosses. He looked really comfortable at this level.

Midfielders

Idrissa Gueye - 7.0: The usual reliable performance from the midfield general. He kept possession ticking over with an impressive 90% pass accuracy. He also created two chances and was instrumental in breaking up Benin's rare attacks. You just know what you're going to get from him.

Lamine Camara - 6.0: It was a mixed first half for the young midfielder before his substitution. He earned a yellow card for a clumsy foul and looked a bit overeager. There were flashes of his talent, but he couldn't quite impose himself on the game. He'll have better days.

Pape Matar Sarr - 6.5: He put in a real shift in the middle of the park, as you'd expect. However, it wasn't his most influential game. Some of his passes went astray and he struggled in a few duels. Still, his work rate was important for the team's structure.

Forwards

Sadio Mané - 7.5: He looked incredibly sharp until he was subbed off late on. Provided a brilliant assist and his dribbling caused all sorts of problems for the Benin defence. He drew four fouls, showing how much they struggled to contain him. A very good outing.

Iliman Ndiaye - 6.5: He was a livewire during the first half. His direct running and dribbling won his team several free-kicks in dangerous areas. From our perspective, his final product was just a bit lacking. He was taken off at halftime as the manager sought a different approach.

Habib Diallo - 7.5: Led the line effectively and got the goal his performance deserved. He missed a big chance earlier in the match but showed great composure for his finish. His physical presence was a constant nuisance for Benin's central defenders. Job done.

Substitutes

Habib Diarra - 7.0: Came on at halftime and provided fresh energy. He looked confident on the ball and had a positive impact on the game.

Ibrahim Mbaye - 6.5: Slotted in well and helped the team maintain its structure and control after the red card.

Cherif Ndiaye - 7.0: Came on late and coolly dispatched the penalty to make it 3-0. A great cameo.

Pathé Ciss - 6.5: Brought on to shore things up in midfield and did his job effectively.

Mamadou Sarr - N/A: Not on long enough to receive a rating.

Manager

P. Thiaw - 7.5: His game plan worked perfectly. Senegal dominated from the start, and his halftime changes had a positive effect. Most impressively, his team's management of the game after going down to 10 men was superb. A great tactical victory for him.

Tamimou Ouorou’s Costly Error Leads to Breakthrough in Benin Player Ratings

Check out the Benin player ratings for the Benin vs Senegal fixture.

Goalkeeper

Marcel Dandjinou - 6.0: He was left completely exposed by his defence for all three goals. He did make three saves, a couple of which were quite decent stops. His distribution wasn't the best, but it was a thankless task for him tonight. He prevented the score from being even worse.

Defenders

Olivier Verdon - 4.5: A really difficult night for the defender. He just looked a yard off the pace and struggled against Senegal's fluid attack. He lost possession far too often and his positioning was questionable on the goals. A performance he'll want to forget quickly.

Yohan Roche - 5.0: He had a torrid time dealing with Senegal's forwards. He was dribbled past too easily and ended up committing four fouls out of desperation. A last-ditch tackle saved him from an even lower rating, but overall it was a real struggle.

Mohamed Tijani - 5.5: Probably the best of a bad bunch at the back. He made a few important clearances and interceptions. However, he was still part of a defensive unit that was completely outplayed and conceded three goals. He lost the ball in some bad areas too.

Tamimou Ouorou - 5.0: He was having a steady, if unspectacular, game until a costly error. It was a moment of poor concentration that directly led to a chance. In a game of fine margins, those mistakes are killer. It was a shame because he showed some good defensive instincts otherwise.

Midfielders

Imourane Hassane - 6.0: One of the few players who can hold his head high. His passing was exceptional, with 96% accuracy. He worked tirelessly to try and win the ball back for his team. The game largely passed him by, though, as he struggled in the physical duels.

Attidjikou Samadou - 5.0: The midfield battle was completely lost, and he was at the heart of it. He was dribbled past four times and offered very little protection for his backline. A really tough assignment that he never got to grips with.

Junior Olaitan - 6.5: Easily Benin's most dangerous player. Every time they looked like creating something, he was involved. He was brave on the ball, always trying to dribble and make things happen. Yes, he lost possession a lot but that's because he was the only one taking any risks.

Aiyegun Tosin - 5.5: He drew a few fouls but that was about the extent of his contribution. He picked up a yellow card and offered almost no attacking threat. A very quiet and ineffective performance before being substituted.

Dokou Dodo - 6.0: He was quite lively in the first half before being taken off. He made three excellent tackles and showed good energy. It was a surprise to see him substituted at halftime, as he was one of their better performers.

Forwards

Steve Mounié - 5.5: A very frustrating and isolated evening for the captain. He won his headers as you'd expect, but he had no service and no support. He ended up getting a yellow card, likely born out of pure frustration. He was a passenger for large parts of the game.

Substitutes

Rodolfo Aloko - 5.5: Came on but couldn't really influence the game against a dominant Senegal side.

Rachid Moumini - 4.5: Came on and conceded a penalty late in the game. A cameo to forget.

Romaric Amoussou - 5.0: Tried to get involved but the game was already gone by the time he was introduced.

Gislain Ahoudo - N/A: Not on long enough to receive a rating.

Manager

G. Rohr - 5.0: His team looked completely out of their depth. The defensive setup was easily bypassed and there was no coherent attacking plan. His substitutions failed to change the flow of the game. He was thoroughly out-managed on the night.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Abdoulaye Seck