Preview: Senegal vs Congo DR - prediction, team news, lineups

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.

Match preview

Senegal arrive at this fixture carrying the weight of expectation that follows one of Africa’s most consistent national teams over the past decade, with the Lions of Teranga former African champions after lifting their first AFCON title at the 2021 edition played in early 2022 in Cameroon, and since that triumph they have remained a fixture among the continent’s elite by regularly advancing deep into major tournaments.

Their 2025 AFCON campaign began emphatically on 23 December with a commanding 3–0 victory over Botswana in their Group D opener, as Nicolas Jackson scored twice before Cherif Ndiaye sealed the result in stoppage time, and Senegal dominated the contest by registering a high volume of shots while limiting Botswana to few clear chances.

Senegal’s 17 shots on target and nine big chances against Botswana were both the most recorded by a team in an AFCON match since 2010, while Sadio Mane’s six shots on target in the same fixture were the most by an individual player at the tournament in that period.

That performance reflected a broader pattern in Senegal’s recent competitive form, with the Lions recording five wins and one defeat in their six competitive matches leading into this fixture, scoring 23 goals and conceding four.

That run that included World Cup qualifying victories over Sudan, South Sudan and Mauritania as well as a dramatic 3–2 away win against DR Congo in Kinshasa in September 2025, with their only defeat coming in a high-profile friendly against Brazil in November.

Head coach Pape Thiaw has leaned on a squad that blends experience with attacking depth, with captain Kalidou Koulibaly anchoring the defence, Idrissa Gueye and Pape Matar Sarr providing balance in midfield, and Jackson supported in attack by the movement and creativity of Ismaila Sarr and Mane.

From a tournament perspective, Senegal currently sit at the top of Group D following their opening-day win, narrowly ahead of DR Congo on goal difference, and a victory on Saturday would significantly strengthen their chances of finishing first in the group and securing a favourable draw in the knockout phase.

Historically, Senegal have faced DR Congo nine times, winning six and drawing two, with their only defeat coming in their first-ever meeting at the 1968 AFCON, while their most recent competitive encounter was the 3–2 World Cup qualifier, in which the Lions overturned a two-goal deficit to claim victory.

DR Congo enter the contest with a strong sense of purpose and a proud AFCON heritage, as the Leopards are two-time African champions having won the tournament in 1968 and 1974; although they have not added to that tally in recent decades, they remain a dangerous and well-organised side capable of challenging top opponents.

Their 2025 AFCON campaign opened with a narrow but valuable 1–0 victory over Benin on 23 December, as Theo Bongonda scored the decisive first-half goal and DR Congo successfully defended their advantage for the remainder of the match, leaving them level on points with Senegal after the first round of group fixtures.

Recent competitive form suggests DR Congo arrive in Morocco in confident mood, having recorded five wins and one draw across their last six competitive matches, scoring seven goals and conceding just one, in a run that included World Cup qualifying victories over Togo and Sudan as well as a 1–1 draw against Nigeria in a playoff final, which they eventually won 4–3 on penalties.

Head coach Sebastien Desabre has assembled a squad that combines physicality with experience at club level across Europe and Africa, with captain Chancel Mbemba anchoring the defence alongside West Ham United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, while players such as Cedric Bakambu and Fiston Mayele provide attacking options capable of exploiting space on the counter-attack.

Defensive discipline has been a defining feature of DR Congo’s recent performances, with their ability to protect narrow leads and limit opponents’ chances yielding five clean sheets in the last six matches, and that approach is likely to be tested against Senegal’s fluid and high-tempo attack.

Like Senegal, DR Congo are keenly aware of the significance of this Group D clash, and with qualification for the knockout stage at stake, a positive result against their West African neighbours would represent both a statement of intent and a major step toward progression.

The recent World Cup qualifying meeting between the two sides, which Senegal won 3–2 in Kinshasa, provides the clearest recent benchmark for this encounter, and while that match ended in defeat for DR Congo, their strong first-half showing demonstrated that they are capable of competing with Senegal when execution and concentration are maintained.

Senegal Africa Cup of Nations form:

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Congo DR Africa Cup of Nations form:

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Team News

Senegal will be able to call on left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf again after the 20-year-old completed a one-match suspension picked up during the qualification campaign.

Apart from winger Assane Diao, who has been ruled out of the tournament with a right thigh injury, Thiaw has a full squad available following his side’s dominant opening-day victory over Botswana.

Jackson, the tournament’s joint-leading scorer after the group opener, will be looking to maintain his strong form in front of goal for the Lions of Teranga.

Mane will also be eager to build on his performance against Botswana, where he recorded six shots on target, as he looks to open his account at the tournament.

DR Congo have several players with Premier League experience in their squad, including Arthur Masuaku, Noah Sadiki, Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, despite opting not to include Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa in their AFCON selection.

Defensive organisation has been a defining feature of Desabre’s tenure, and he is expected to once again rely on the experience of Mbemba alongside Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe and Masuaku as the Leopards seek a positive result against Senegal’s attack.

Senegal possible starting lineup:

Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Diouf; I. Gueye, P. Gueye, Ndiaye; Mane, I. Sarr, Jackson

Congo DR possible starting lineup:

Mpasi-Nzau; Wan-Bissaka, Mbemba, Tuanzebe, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Kayembe; Bongonda, Mbuku, Bakambu

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.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.