Afcon 2025 Match Summary: Botswana 0 vs DR Congo 3
December 30, 2025
284d agoIn their final AFCON 2025 Group D match, the Democratic Republic of Congo delivered a commanding 3-0 victory over Botswana to secure their place in the tournament's knockout stage. The win, driven by a masterclass performance from veteran Gaël Kakuta, confirmed DR Congo's position as the group runner-up.
Kakuta was instrumental in the victory, directly involved in all three goals. He provided an audacious backheel assist for Nathanael Mbuku's opening goal in the 31st minute. Ten minutes later, Kakuta converted a penalty to double the lead. He completed his brace on the hour mark, finishing from close range to seal the 3-0 scoreline and was named Man of the Match.
Despite the convincing win, DR Congo finished second in Group D. A simultaneous 3-0 victory by Senegal over Benin gave Senegal the top spot on goal difference. The result sets up a challenging path for DR Congo in the Round of 16, where they will face the two-time champion Algeria on Tuesday, January 6. The winner of that match is projected to face Nigeria in the quarterfinals.
For Botswana, the defeat concluded a disappointing campaign. The team exited the tournament without earning a point or scoring a goal, mirroring their group-stage exit from their only previous AFCON appearance in 2012.
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