Friday's Africa Cup of Nations predictions including Victor Osimhen's Nigeria vs. Tunisia

Friday’s round-two fixtures in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations promise plenty of intrigue, with eight nations across two groups aiming to boost their chances of reaching the knockout stage.

In Group D, Benin face Botswana in search of their first points, while Senegal take on DR Congo to seize control of the pool, as across Group C, Uganda and Tanzania meet after opening-day setbacks and Nigeria clash with Tunisia in a battle for top spot.

Here, Sports Mole provides predictions for all of Friday’s AFCON games.

Benin vs. Botswana (Friday, 12.30pm)

Two teams looking to revive their Africa Cup of Nations campaigns after opening defeats meet at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah on Saturday, as Benin and Botswana aim to secure vital points to keep their qualification hopes alive.

The former narrowly lost to Congo DR last time out, while the latter were on the receiving end of a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Senegal.

We say: Benin 1-0 Botswana

After opening defeats, both teams will treat Saturday's game as a must-win.

Benin will have a strengthened squad with several key players back available, and this should tip the balance in their favour, leading us to predict a narrow win for the West Africans.

> Click here to read our full preview for Benin vs. Botswana, including team news and predicted lineups

Senegal vs. DR Congo (Friday, 2pm)

The 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations resumes on Saturday evening at the Tangier Grand Stadium, where former champions Senegal will face two-time winners DR Congo.

Both sides have started the tournament strongly with victories in their opening fixtures, meaning that the winner of this clash will secure progression to the knockout stages without needing to wait for the final group-stage matches.

We say: Senegal 1-0 Congo DR

This is a match between arguably two of the best defences in Africa, with both sides excelling at shutting down opponents and reducing them to very limited chances.

Given what is at stake, a very tactical and tight game is expected, but Senegal’s superior attacking talents are likely to secure a narrow victory for the Lions.

> Click here to read our full preview for Senegal vs. DR Congo, including team news and predicted lineups

Uganda vs. Tanzania (Friday, 5.30pm)

Two teams that were on the losing side in their Africa Cup of Nations' opening matches - Uganda and Tanzania - will go head-to-head on Saturday at Stade El Barid in Rabat.

A defeat for either side could mean an early exit from Africa’s most prestigious tournament, and both will be keen to avoid that situation.

We say: Uganda 1-1 Tanzania

The Cranes have a slight edge in terms of form, but with elimination staring both sides in the face, this match is expected to be closely fought. And with little or nothing between them, we predict a 1-1 scoreline.

> Click here to read our full preview for Uganda vs. Tanzania, including team news and predicted lineups

Nigeria vs,Tunisia (Friday, 8pm)

Fresh off flying starts to their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaigns, the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia clash with claws drawn for control of Group C at Fez Stadium on Saturday evening.

The West African nation sit second in their bracket following a 2-1 victory over Tanzania, while a 3-1 triumph over Uganda leaves the North Africans top of the pool.