Two heavyweights of Africa Football, Senegal and The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), are set to meet in a momentous AFCON group-stage clash at the Grand Stade de Tanger in Tangier on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 5pm CAT.
CURRENT FORM
Senegal began its 2025 AFCON campaign in emphatic fashion with a convincing 3-0 win over Botswana in Tangier on Tuesday.
DR Congo also began with a win, defeating Benin 1-0 in Rabat on the same day.
The Lions of Teranga have now won their opening match in each of its last six AFCON appearances, equalling its streak of opening-game victories from between 1976 and 1988. They are unbeaten in their last eight AFCON group-stage matches with six wins and two draws, and are looking to extend their streak.
The Leopards will be looking to create history, having never started an AFCON tournament with back-to-back wins. This includes its title-winning campaigns in 1968 and 1974. They have not won their second group-stage game at the tournament since the 1996 edition.
Both teams sit on three points in group D, but Senegal has claimed top spot with an advantage on goal difference.
Both sides missed out on silverware at the last edition in Ivory Coast, with DR Congo falling to the hosts and eventual champions in the semifinals and missing out on the Bronze medal to South Africa. Senegal, who were defending champions, suffered a shock exit in the round of 16, losing to the hosts on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
A win over the much-fancied Lions of Teranga could serve as a good omen for the Leopards, as the last two teams to defeat Senegal in their second group match went on to claim the title, those being Zambia in 2012 and Algeria in 2019.
The two nations have faced each other a total of 10 times, with two of those coming at the continental showpiece. Those two games are split with each side managing one win, but Senegal has the better record overall with six wins to DR Congo’s two.
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PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senegal - Nicolas Jackson began his 2025 AFCON with a bang against Botswana, bagging a brace to lead his side to victory and become the second Senegalese player in a row to score a brace in an AFCON opening match, joining Lamine Camara. The striker has now scored six goals in his last five starts for Senegal in all competitions and seems to be finding his feet in the national team.
DR Congo - Cédric Bakambu will be looking to cause problems for the Senegalese defence on Saturday. The Real Betis forward has bagged a goal and an assist in five LaLiga games this season but failed to score against Benin on Tuesday. He will be looking to remind the continent, and his opposition, of his pedigree.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Senegal wins: 6
DR Congo wins: 2
Draws: 2