Can Benin back up its opening AirBadminton statement against Algeria?
Benin answered one question emphatically on Wednesday at Entebbe, defeating Algeria 60-37 in its first team relay match of the Africa AirBadminton Championships. Now a tougher one looms: can the squad carry that authority into its decisive Group A clash with Tunisia?
From the opening exchanges, Benin made its intentions clear. The men’s doubles pair of Oswald Fano-Dosh and Carlos Miguel Kpanou set the tone with a 15-11 win, and the women’s doubles duo of Gladys Akakpo and Flora Kpogbemabou extended the cumulative advantage to 30-17 by the midpoint, handing Benin a commanding thirteen-point cushion.
How Benin built its lead, exchange by exchange
Algeria fought back in the men’s triples, tightening the margin, but the trio of Carlos Miguel Kpanou, Oswald Fano-Dosh and Julien Totin held firm to keep Benin ahead at 45-31. The closing women’s triples — Gladys Akakpo, Blessing Atchade and Flora Kpogbemabou — sealed the result and fixed the final score at 60-37.
What the win means for Group A
The result puts Benin in a strong position in Group A, which also includes Algeria and Tunisia. Algeria had previously beaten Tunisia 60-52, so the standings remain finely balanced. Benin’s upcoming meeting with Tunisia will be decisive for the pool’s final order.
Benin’s squad and the wider tournament
Benin has brought ten shuttlers to Entebbe, competing across team, doubles and triples events. The third edition of the championship gathers 14 nations and more than 120 participants at Aero Beach.
Beyond Entebbe: a qualification pathway
Competition continues until 19 September. The continental gathering also forms part of the qualification route toward the next AirBadminton World Championships, adding extra weight to every match Benin plays.
