AFCON 2025: Senegal top Group D after routine win over Benin as DR Congo finish second

Senegal and DR Congo fought for the top of Group D until the final seconds of the group stage competition.

The Lions of Teranga beat Benin, with the Leopards smashing Botswana 3-0, but in the end, goal difference worked in favour of Sadio Mane and his teammates.

Abdoulaye Seck, with a rather controversial goal, and Habib Diallo "killed" the Cheetahs, securing a vital victory for Pape Thiaw's crew.

Not even Kalidou Koulibaly's red card in his 100th national team game could spoil Senegal's triumph, which launched them to the top.

On the other hand, Gael Kakuta scored a brace and registered an assist, with Nathanael Mbuku getting the opener for DR Congo.

Unfortunately for them, it was not enough to secure first place in the group.

Still, the Congolese will undoubtedly think about the numerous wasted chances that could have changed their fortunes.

They will face Algeria in the Round of 16, while Benin will play against Egypt.

Senegal's rival is yet to be determined.

Even though Senegal and Benin - alongside DR Congo - secured their places in the knockout phase, both teams wanted the top of Group D, and avoiding facing Egypt and Algeria in the Round of 16.

Still, the pressure was apparently immense - especially for the Lions of Teranga - as the opening 35 minutes brought nothing notable, except for a long-range free-kick attempt on each side, which went over the bar.

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Benin did put in a strong performance, but as the break approached, Senegal took control of the match.

In the 37th minute, they made the first shot on target, with the Cheetahs keeper Marcel Dandjinou pulling off an excellent save, but a minute later, nothing could be done.

Krepin Diatta took a free kick from the right side, finding the centre-back Abdoulaye Seck, whose header ended up in the net! The VAR check was lengthy due to the potential handball, but the goal eventually stood.

Benin could have equalized in the third minute of added time, but Edouard Mendy stopped Steve Mounie's effort from inside the area with a superb stop.

Seven minutes into the second half, the Cheetahs threatened over Aiyegun Tosin, but, as they were not concrete enough, the Lions of Teranga taught them a lesson just ten minutes later.

Sadio Mane made a fantastic solo effort and crossed the ball in from the left flank, where Habib Diallo smashed it into the net with a powerful first-touch strike, making it 2-0!

Nevertheless, only nine minutes after the immense joy because of the second goal, Senegal suffered a massive blow, as their captain Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off for a reckless tackle on Tosin in his 100th appearance for the national team!

To make matters worse, it was his maiden dismissal in the Lions of Teranga's jersey!

At that point, Senegal had to focus on defence, while the keeper Mendy took the leading role on the team.

He stopped a fantastic free-kick strike of Junior Olaitan and Rodolfo Aloko in a one-on-one situation, giving a decisive confidence boost to his ten-man crew, while Cherif Ndiaye could have eliminated any doubt about the table-toppers in Group D, but he wasted a colossal chance in added time.

Still, the Lions of Teranga got another chance in the 97th minute when Ibrahim Mbaye went down in the rivals' box.

This time, Ndiaye took no prisoners, making it 3-0 and confirming Senegal's first place in the group.

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DR Congo, on the other hand, were aware that they had the easiest task against the eliminated Botswana and were ready to seize the chance to take the top of the group in case Senegal failed against the sturdy Benin.

By the 25th minute, the Leopards had four decent attempts and one massive chance, but Fiston Mayele, Charles Pickel, and Meschak Elia all failed to break the deadlock.

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Yet, DR Congo's persistence paid off a minute after the half-hour mark, when Nathanael Mbuku exploited Gael Kakuta's beautiful heel pass to open the scoring.

Ten minutes later, following Botswana right-back Thabo Leinanyane's handball in the box, the Leopards were awarded a penalty kick, which Kakuta sent home, doubling his team's lead and putting additional pressure on Senegal, who now had to think about goal difference as well.

At the hour mark, the 34-year-old Kakuta continued his scoring spree, completing a brace after the sub Theo Bongonda did most of the job, and served a terrific assist for the experienced striker - 3-0!

Just three minutes later, Mayele made it 4-0, but VAR concluded he netted it with his arm, so it did not stand.

The match entered a "snoozefest" phase until the dying minutes, when Bongonda had two massive opportunities to secure the leading position for his team, but he failed, and the Leopards had to settle for the second spot.

AFCON 2025 - GROUP STAGE

3rd round

Monday

Angola - Egypt 0-0

Zimbabwe - South Africa 2-3 (1-1)

/Maswanhise 19, Modiba 73 og - Moremi 7, Foster 50, Appollis 82 pen/

Comoros - Mali 0-0

Zambia - Morocco 0-3 (0-2)

/El Kaabi 9, 50, Diaz 27/

Tuesday

Tanzania - Tunisia 1-1 (0-1)

/Salum 48 - Gharbi 43 pen/

Uganda - Nigeria 1-3 (0-1)

/Mato 75 - Onuachu 28, Onyedika 62, 67/

Benin - Senegal 0-3 (0-1)

/Seck 38, Diallo 62, Ndiaye C. 90+7 pen/

Botswana - DR Congo 0-3 (0-2)

/Mbuku 31, Kakuta 41 pen, 60/

Wednesday

19.00: (6.00) Equatorial Guinea (3.60) Algeria (1.65)

19.00: (4.60) Sudan (3.35) Burkina Faso (1.87)

22.00: (6.00) Gabon (3.60) Ivory Coast (1.65)

22.00: (7.00) Mozambique (4.50) Cameroon (1.45)

***odds are subject to change***