Senegal topped Group D on goal difference after the 10-man Teranga Lions faced a nerve-wracking finish to their victory against Benin in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Tangier.
The 2021 champions were ahead 1-0, and as DR Congo defeated Botswana 3-0, the group’s top position seemed set to be resolved by a drawing of lots. However, in the 62nd minute, Habib Diallo scored his team’s second goal from a Sadio Mane assist, guaranteeing they took the lead by a goal.
Senegal players and supporters anxiously wished for DR Congo to remain scoreless until Cherif Ndiaye successfully converted a penalty in the 97th minute, securing first place decisively.
Benin, who secured their advancement alongside their rivals prior to the match, trailed when Abdoulaye Seck scored with a header from Krepin Diatta’s cross and gained a one-player advantage after Kalidou Koulibaly received a red card in the 71st minute.
Senegal will stay in Tangier to take on Burkina Faso or Sudan on Saturday (16:00 GMT) and will learn about their rivals when Group E wraps up on Wednesday.
As DR Congo built on their 2-0 half-time lead to a three-goal win against Botswana in Rabat by the 60-minute mark, the competition intensified to secure a more advantageous route in the knockout stage for the leading two teams.
By winning the group, Senegal has avoided a clash with two-time champions Algeria in the Round of 16, ensuring they will also not encounter three-time winners Nigeria or the host nation and tournament favorites Morocco before the final.
Decisions made by the video assistant referee (VAR) have been a common occurrence during this AFCON, and Seck’s strong header underwent an extensive review to confirm that the center-back did not touch the ball with his hand, as it seemed to deflect off his shoulder while soaring past Marcel Dandjinou.
Understanding the challenge his team encountered, Pape Thiaw substituted Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra and Paris St-Germain forward Ibrahim Mbaye for Monaco’s Lamine Camara and Everton creator Iliman Ndiaye at halftime.
Mane’s explosive run into the box and smart cut-back allowed Diallo to give Senegal the lead in the group again, but they still relied on DR Congo’s results, with Koulibaly’s sending off for stepping on Aiyegun Tosin’s ankle—once more reviewed by VAR—intensifying the suspense.
Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy performed brilliantly by tipping Junior Olaitan’s free kick over the crossbar and blocking Rodolfo Aloko in a one-on-one before Cherif Ndiaye sealed their final standing by converting a penalty after Abdoul Rachid Moumini fouled Mbaye.
Gernot Rohr’s Benin will aim to create an upset against Egypt and replicate their journey to the quarter-finals from their latest AFCON tournament in 2019, while Senegal will seek to erase the memories of their last-16 loss in 2023, where they fell to the eventual champions, Ivory Coast, in a penalty shootout.
