DR Congo began their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Benin in Group D, as Theo Bongonda’s early strike proved enough to secure three valuable points in Rabat.
In a tense encounter at the compact Stade El Barid, the Leopards showed flashes of their pedigree as recent semi-finalists, but also revealed familiar wastefulness in front of goal that could yet haunt them against stronger opposition.
The decisive moment arrived in the 16th minute. Arthur Masuaku launched a long ball forward from the left, and a moment of hesitation in the Benin defence proved costly. Centre-back Yohan Roche ducked under the delivery, allowing Bongonda to stretch out his left foot and guide a first-time volley into the bottom right corner from close range. It was a goal born as much from Benin’s miscommunication as from Bongonda’s sharp anticipation.
That strike settled DR Congo nerves and gave them control of the contest, though they were unable to fully capitalise on their dominance. Cedric Bakambu, leading the line, was central to most of their attacking play and could easily have finished the game as the tournament’s early top scorer.
Shortly after the interval, Bakambu thought he had doubled the lead with a close-range header, only for celebrations to be cut short by a lengthy VAR review. The goal was eventually ruled out for an infringement in the build-up, to the frustration of the Leopards’ bench.
The former Villarreal striker then found himself clean through on goal at the ongoing AFCON, but Benin goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbe stood tall to deny him in a one-on-one. Moments later, Bakambu spurned another golden chance when he headed straight at Allagbe from a well-delivered free-kick. Each miss kept Benin alive and added tension to the closing stages.
Despite enjoying decent spells of possession, Benin struggled to turn the ball into clear opportunities. Managed by former Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr, the Cheetahs were playing their first Afcon match since 2019 and were missing key attacking options, including forward Junior Olaitan. Their build-up play was neat at times, but too often lacked incision in the final third.
They came agonisingly close to an equaliser in the final minute of normal time. Substitute Aiyegun Tosin broke into the box from a tight angle and fired a shot that struck the legs of DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi before bouncing across the face of goal and away to safety. It was Benin’s clearest chance of the night and one that left their supporters with hands on heads.
The second half was also disrupted by technical issues with the referee’s communications equipment, contributing to a lengthy 10 minutes of added time. Under sustained late pressure, DR Congo defended resolutely, showing the organisation and composure that took them to the semi-finals at the last tournament in Ivory Coast.
The win continues a strong run of form for Sebastien Desabre’s side, who arrived in Morocco buoyed by recent World Cup qualifying play-off victories over Cameroon and Nigeria. However, the profligacy on display will concern the coach ahead of tougher tests to come.
Benin, meanwhile, will look to regroup quickly. They are set to benefit from the return of experienced striker Steve Mounie in their next group match against Botswana, a fixture that already feels crucial for their qualification hopes.
For DR Congo, attention now turns to a heavyweight Group D clash against two-time champions Senegal in Tangier. With three points already in the bag, the Leopards have made the perfect start on paper, but improvements in front of goal will be essential if they are to go deep into the tournament once again.
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