AFCON 2025: Senegal and Congo male last 16 from Group D

Senegal - Benin, not so easy for the Lions
With both teams already qualified, it was the first place in Group D that was at stake with a long-distance duel between Senegal and the DR Congo. The goal difference was therefore significant for both teams. But the task was more complicated for the Lions who had to wait for the 38th minute and a dominant head of Abdoulaye Seck to settle the situation before the break.

Habib Diallo, who many claimed as a starter instead of Nicolas Jackson, proved that he deserves the attention of fans by taking the break for the Lions in the 62nd minute. But the highlight of this meeting was the expulsion of Kalidou Koulibaly (72nd) for a late tackle on Junio Olaitan. The latter will also force Edouard Mendy to work on the free kick that followed this foul. 

Mendy, again, will make a double save in the last minute of regulation time to preserve the advantage of Senegal who will have been on fire until the end in this meeting against the Cheetahs. But the poison that is Ibrahim Mbaye drove home the point by causing a penalty converted by Chérif Ndiaye (90+7) in additional time and confirmed the success of the Lions who will remain in Tangier until the semi-final (if they manage to reach there). 

DR Congo - Botswana: Leopards showed a better phase
Against the last in the Group, DR Congo takes no chances, even if it took half an hour to see the opening goal. And it was Nathanael Mbuku (31st) who popped the Botswanan lock before Gael Kakuta on the penalty spot gets the second (41st) before the break.

At that moment, the Leopards were leaders of Group D ahead of Senegal and therefore approached the second period with serenity. A quarter of an hour after the restart, Kakuta will offer himself the double in the hour mark (60th) and allow the Congolese  to fly away.

Fiston Mayele thought he scored a fourth goal a few minutes later, but it will be invalidated for a Congolese hand on the action. A cancellation that condemned the DR Congo to 2nd place despite its 3-0 victory. The Leopards will challenge Algeria in the eighth final.