Group D Statement Wins As Dr Congo And Senegal Flex Afcon Muscle
DR Congo and Senegal delivered commanding performances on a decisive Group D night at the Africa Cup of Nations, brushing aside Botswana and Benin respectively to underline their knockout credentials.
DR Congo produced a clinical display to dismantle Botswana 3-0 at Al Medina Stadium, wrapping up Group D with authority and control. Sebastien Desabre’s side were patient early on before Nathanael Mbuku broke the deadlock in the 31st minute, reacting quickest in the box to steer home after sustained pressure.
The Leopards tightened their grip on the contest just before the break when Gael Kakuta converted from the spot, calmly sending the goalkeeper the wrong way after a handball decision went against Botswana. That goal effectively ended the contest, with DR Congo dictating tempo and territory throughout the second half.
Kakuta completed his brace on the hour mark, finishing from close range to cap a polished individual performance. Botswana struggled to cope with Congo DR’s movement and physicality, and although the hosts showed flashes of fight, they were repeatedly undone by poor defensive positioning and a lack of cutting edge in the final third.
In Tanger, Senegal were equally convincing as they swept aside Benin 3-0 at the Grand Stade de Tanger, despite finishing the match with ten men. The Teranga Lions took the lead in the 38th minute through Abdoulaye Seck, whose powerful header from a set piece punished Benin’s lapse in concentration.
Habib Diallo doubled the advantage early in the second half, finishing confidently after a slick move involving Sadio Mane. Senegal’s control was briefly tested when Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off following a VAR review, but Benin failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage.
As Benin pushed forward in desperation, Senegal remained composed and sealed the result deep into stoppage time. Cherif Ndiaye stepped up to convert a late penalty, underlining the West Africans’ ruthless edge and depth even with key players rotated.
With emphatic wins on the final matchday, both DR Congo and Senegal sent a clear message to the rest of the tournament. Group D ends with momentum firmly on their side as attention now shifts to the knockout rounds, where consistency and discipline will be tested at an even higher level.
