AFCON round-up: Senegal 1-1 D.R. Congo, Benin 1-0 Botswana

Benin 1-0 Botswana It took Benin 16 games in the AFCON to record their first-ever victory at the tournament. In their maiden campaign in 2004, unde

Benin 1-0 Botswana

It took Benin 16 games in the AFCON to record their first-ever victory at the tournament. In their maiden campaign in 2004, under the leadership of the Ghanaian top coach Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, hosted and won by Tunisia, they lost all three games.

In their next three AFCONs (2008, 2010 and 2019), the Cheetahs did not win any game, yet reached the quarter finals stage in 2019, where they drew four and lost 1-0 against Senegal.

Finally, Benin recorded a win at the Africa Cup of Nations. Yohan Roche’s 28th-minute strike made the difference as they made history. 72-year-old German tactician Gernot Rohr’s name will forever be remembered in the history of Benin football.

The looks on the faces of the team showed how delighted the minnows were when the referee blew the final whistle.

Botswana mathematically has a slim chance to progress, but a game against the inform Congo D.R. could be their biggest test in the whole of 2025.

Botswana have lost their opening two games and is on the brink of exit.

Senegal 1-1 D.R. Congo

In the other game of the group, Senegal against Congo D.R., on paper, promised to be a feisty affair considering how Senegal came back from two goals down to win 3-2 in the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Kinshasa.

Congo D.R. have become a threat to any other side under Sebastien Desabre, and Senegal knew the challenge ahead. After an intense goalless draw in the first half, Cedric Bakambu had the easiest task of tapping in after Mendy had failed to deal with Theo Bongonda’s shot.

It was 1-0 to Desabre’s Congo D.R. in the 61st minute. The leopards looked so good and were still threatening Senegal for the second goal until the 17-year-old substitute Ibrahim Mbaye charged past two Congolese players on the right side and released a shot that hit Mpazu and fell into Mane’s path, who calmly slotted it home to level the scoreline.

Both sides will be happy with the point in the high-spec game. They have every chance now to progress to the business part of the competition.