Senegal beat Benin 3-0 to top their AFCON2025 group, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo defeated Botswana in a mouthwatering draw with Algeria.
Published December 30, 2025
Senegal beat Benin as Group D winners of the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday to advance to the last 16, while the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) secured second place and will face Algeria in a heavyweight tie in the next round.
2022 African champions Sadio Mane’s Senegal needed to beat Benin in Tangier to reach the final round of group play, but will hope their Congolese rivals can’t surpass them on goal difference.
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Senegal won 3-0 against Benin, with Abdoulaye Sek and Habib Diallo scoring and captain Kalidou Koulibaly being sent off in the second half. Sherif Ndiaye then added a late penalty.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo defeated Botswana, who were also scheduled to be eliminated, 3-0 in Rabat, and although both leaders finished with seven points from three games, Senegal, led by Pape Thiau, came out on top with a two-goal difference.
The result puts Senegal on a better path to the finals, where they will remain in Tangier on Saturday to compete against Group E’s third-placed rival for a place in the last 16.
It will be either Burkina Faso or Sudan, who will play in Casablanca on Wednesday.
In contrast, Leopards must face 2019 champions Algeria in the last 16 next Tuesday, with the winner potentially facing Nigeria in the quarter-finals.
Benin’s three points from their lone 1-0 win over Botswana are enough to ensure they remain one of the best third-placed teams.
It will be their second appearance in the AFCON finals, but their reward will be a match against Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in Agadir on Monday.
Israel-based centre-back Sek headed Senegal into the lead in the 38th minute from a free-kick by Crepin Diatta, and the second goal came just an hour later when Diallo connected with Mane’s superb cut-back.
Captain Koulibaly was sent off after a yellow card was upgraded to a red following a VAR review, leaving Teranga’s Lions with one fewer man to play in the remaining 19 minutes and stoppage time.
Ndiay’s penalty in the 97th minute made it 3-0, and any doubts about Senegal’s final place in the group were dispelled.
Former Chelsea playmaker Gael Kakuta, now playing for Turkiye, was in excellent form in Botswana’s game against Democratic Republic of the Congo at the Al Medina Stadium, setting up Nathanael Mbuku’s opening goal with a backheel.
Tsunoda then scored a penalty just before halftime, scoring his second goal off an assist from Theo Bongonda and his team’s third goal within an hour.
One more goal at this point would have given Democratic Republic of the Congo and Senegal an equal record and potentially forced them to face a draw to determine their final group placement.
DRC thought they had won in the 64th minute when Fiston Mayele put the ball into the net.
