Group D delivered its verdict at CAN 2025, with a distance duel perfectly mastered by its two favorites.
The hierarchy was respected in Group D of CAN 2025. At the end of a third day without unnecessary suspense, Senegal finished on top ahead of a solid Democratic Republic of Congo, the two nations validating their qualification for the round of 16 with authority. If the Leopards hit hard, the Lions of Teranga were able to maintain the essential: first place.
Senegal in the lead, DR Congo facing a major challenge
At the Grand Stade de Tangier, Senegal fulfilled its mission against Benin (3-0). Serious, disciplined despite a numerical inferiority during the match, Pape Bouna Thiaw’s men took the lead before the break thanks to Abdoulaye Seck, then continued after the hour mark under the leadership of Sadio Mané and Habib Diallo. Without ever panicking, the Lions displayed reassuring collective control, confirming their status as the natural favorite of the group. The only black spot for the 2021 African champions is the expulsion of Kalidou Koulibaly.
At the same time, the DR Congo did not tremble in Rabat against Botswana (3-0). Under the leadership of an inspired and omnipresent Gaël Kakuta, the Leopards quickly imposed their tempo. Nathanaël Mbuku, then Fiston Mayele, achieved clear domination, reflecting the gradual rise in power of Sébastien Desabre’s team since the start of the tournament.
This distance duel results in a perfect tie in the number of points (7), but the goal difference tips the balance towards the Senegalese side (+6 against +4). An accounting detail that weighs heavily, as the scenarios of the final table can redistribute the cards from the round of 16. Senegal thus retains a significant strategic advantage.
The rest promises to be contrasting for the two qualifiers. By finishing second, the DR Congo is heading towards a head-on clash against Algeria, a very high-level poster from the start of the knockout phase. Senegal, for its part, will inherit a third group, most probably Sudan. A more favorable trajectory on paper, but which will require the same rigor to confirm Senegalese ambitions.
