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

Senegal beat Benin 3-0 to top AFCON 2025 group, while DR Congo beat Botswana, setting up a mouth-watering Algeria tie.Published On 30 Dec 2025Senegal saw off Benin on Tuesday to go through to the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations as winners of Group D, leaving the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to settle for second place, which means they will play Algeria in a heavyweight tie in the next round.Sadio Mane’s Senegal, the 2022 African champions, came into the final round of group games needing to beat Benin in Tangier, and hope their Congolese rivals have not managed to move above them on goal difference.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Boxer Anthony Joshua injured in deadly car crash in Nigerialist 2 of 4Kyrgios beats Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 in ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis showdownlist 3 of 4England win chaotic fourth Ashes Test against Australia in Melbournelist 4 of 4Stokes concerned for England’s mental wellbeing on Ashes tour of Australiaend of listSenegal ran out 3-0 winners against Benin, with Abdoulaye Seck and Habib Diallo scoring before skipper Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off in the second half. Cherif Ndiaye then added a late penalty.The DRC beat the already-eliminated Botswana 3-0 at the same time in Rabat, meaning the leading duo both finished with seven points from three games, but Pape Thiaw’s Senegal topped the section by a difference of two goals.As a result, Senegal have a far kinder path in the knockout phase and will remain in Tangier for a last-16 tie on Saturday against the third-place finisher in Group E.That will be either Burkina Faso or Sudan, who play each other in Casablanca on Wednesday.The Leopards, in contrast, must play the 2019 champions Algeria in the last 16 next Tuesday, with the winner of that potentially having to face Nigeria in the quarterfinals.Benin’s three points, courtesy of a solitary 1-0 win over Botswana, are enough for them to go through as one of the best third-placed teams.It will be just their second appearance in the AFCON knockout stages, and their reward is a meeting with Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in Agadir on Monday.