Senegal, who is 2022 champions, and the Democratic Republic of Congo drew 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of Congo in their Saturday heavyweight Africa Cup of Nations match.
With only one game left to play, Senegal will continue to lead Group D thanks to Cedric Bakambu’s opening score of just after the hour mark in Tangiers.
Before their final group game against Benin on Tuesday, Senegal had a better goal difference despite the two teams having four points.
After winning 1-0 to Botswana on Saturday in Rabat, Benin now has three points. Neither team has scored in the bottom three.
After suffering a devastating defeat at the previous meeting of the nations, World Cup qualifying in September, Sebastien Desabre’s Congolese side sought retribution.
Senegal won the matchup 3-2 in Kinshasa, going on to win the match and leading their group to advance to the next year’s North American finals.
In order to avoid being eliminated from the World Cup in March, DR Congo must now enter a one-off play-off against either New Caledonia or Jamaica in Mexico.
Read more: Senegal, Nigeria, and Tunisia Contenders Start 2025 AFCON Campaigns With Wins
Senegal had more possession and chances on the day thanks to Botswana’s 3-0 victory, which is seen as perhaps the biggest threat to Morocco’s chances of capturing the title on its own soil.
Theo Bongonda, the Leopards’ top scorer, scored the only goal in their opening game win against Benin in the 61st minute after Edouard Mendy’s fine pass was parried by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who scored the winning goal.
Senegal, however, were only eight minutes into the game when Ibrahim Mbaye, a young substitute, made a superb run.
The 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger Mbaye, who was born in France and has represented them until the Under-20s, recently committed to Senegal, for whom he has a parent who qualifies.
Just after Bakambu’s opener, he made the leveller from a perplexing run down the right. He took the place of Ismaila Sarr.
Mbaye slammed into Arthur Masuaku, who appeared to be hurting himself before being blocked by Lionel Mpasi, but Mane was on hand to score.
Former Liverpool legend Mane, who is playing in his sixth tournament, scored 10 goals in the AFCON.
Source: Channels TV
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