Benin coach Reinhardt Fabisch has said Mouritala Ogoubiji will never play for the Squirrels as long as he is in charge of the team.

“The issue of Ogoubiji is finished as long as I am the coach," Fabsich told the press after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Mali in Sekondi. Ogoubiji plays for MTN African Champions League winners Etoile du Sahel.

He said his team's strategy had been to go into half time without conceding a goal and it worked until they conceded a penalty early in the seconf half.

“I had to withdraw one defensive midfielder and replace him with a striker. Unfortunately we could not find a way past Mali's defence,” he said.

Mali 's French coach Jean Francois Joder praised his team for opening with a win in a tight group. "We are going to build from here as we prepare to face Ivory Coast in our next group match," Joder said.

Man of the match Seydou Keita promised that Mali would improve. "It was vital to open with a win and our focus turns to Nigeria ,” he said.
Mali keeper Mahmadou Sidibe walked away with the Samsung Fair Play Award.

Meanwhile, Nigeria coach Berti Vogts (right) has defended his team selection after his side went down 1-0 to Cote d' Ivoire. Vogts was criticized for using Stephen Makinwa as a substitute.

“I pick my players, and I support them. It is not the first time for the Supers Eagles to lose an opening match and bounce back," a stressed Vogts told Daily Monitor.