AFCON: Tunisia, Senegal & DR Congo qualify for round of 16

Senegal topped Group D thanks to a 3-0 victory over Benin on Tuesday evening to qualify for the round of 16 of AFCON 2025, thanks to goals from Abdoulaye Seck, FC Metz striker Habib Diallo and Cherif Ndiaye. Monaco man Krépin Diatta provided the assist for defender Seck to open the scoring before Paris Saint-Germain's Ibrahim Mbaye was played in behind and won the final penalty for the Lions of Teranga.

Senegal now face a third-placed group side (Burkina Faso or Sudan) whilst Benin (featuring Lorient's Aiyegun Tosin) still qualified and faced Egypt in the round of 16. Senegal have now recorded their 17th clean sheet in AFCON competition since the 2017 edition, which is at least three more than any other team during that period.

Senegal, through to the knockout stage as group leaders 🇸🇳🔥 pic.twitter.com/GT8R7xSAtt
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) December 30, 2025

Meanwhile, Chancel Mbemba and DR Congo cruised to victory over an already-eliminated Botswana side in Group D - settling for second place after Senegal's 3-0 victory over Benin. Nathaneal Mukau met former Lens man Gaël Kakuta's backheel to open the scoring before Kakuta himself doubled the lead for the Central African side.

Tunisia have also qualified following a 1-1 draw with Tanzania, with PSG academy graduate Ismael Gharbi opening the scoring for the Eagles of Carthage. They now finish second in the group behind Nigeria, who beat Uganda 3-1 in Fes earlier in the day - where Paris FC's Moses Simon played the full 90'.