Senegal beat Benin to claim AFCON group, as DR Congo set up Algeria tie

Senegal defeated Benin on Tuesday to advance to Group D, which means they will face Algeria in a heavyweight matchup in the following round. This leaves the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in second place.

Senegal, the 2022 African champions, needed to defeat Benin in Tangier in the final group game, but Sadio Mane’s team hopes that their Congolese foes can’t overcome them on goal difference.

Abdoulaye Seck and Habib Diallo scored for Senegal in the third-half before Kalidou Koulibaly, the team’s skipper, was sent off in the final second half. A late penalty was added by Cherif Ndiaye.

In Rabat, the DRC defeated Botswana 3-0, giving the leading duo seven points from three games, but Senegal’s Pape Thiaw led the section with a difference of two goals.

Senegal will remain in Tangier for a last-16 tie against the Group E third-place finisher on Saturday, giving them a much kinder path in the knockout phase.

Burkinabe or Sudan will both play on Wednesday in Casablanca, which will be the case.

The Leopards must face Algeria in the last 16 on Tuesday, with the winner likely to face Nigeria in the quarterfinals.

Benin will finish as one of the best third-placed teams thanks to their own solitary goal, 1-0 victory over Botswana.

Their reward is a meeting with Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in Agadir on Monday, making their second appearance in the AFCON knockout stages.

Senegal took the lead on 38 minutes with a free kick from Krepin Diatta, and their second goal came just after the hour when Diallo turned in a superb cutback from Mane.

The Lions of Teranga had to play out the final 19 minutes plus stoppage time a man down before Skipper Koulibaly was sent off after a VAR review upgraded his yellow card to red.

Ndiaye’s penalty in the 97th minute put an end to any doubts about Senegal’s group stage final position.

Gael Kakuta, a playmaker who was previously at Chelsea and now plays for Turkiye, was outstanding for the DRC when his back heel Nathanael Mbuku was paired with Nathanael Mbuku for the opener at Al Medina Stadium.

Theo Bongonda’s assist gave Kakuta his second and his team’s third goal just before half-time, and he converted a penalty just before half-time.

At that point, a different objective might have prevented the DRC and Senegal from having comparable records and facing a potential drawing of lots to determine their final group positions.