The Democratic Republic of Congo secured second place in Group D with a comfortable 3-0 victory over already-eliminated Botswana at the Stade El Barid, setting up an intriguing Round of 16 clash with Algeria.
Sébastien Desabre’s Leopards took control early, with Nathanaël Mbuku breaking the deadlock in the 31st minute. The young forward completed a slick team move with a precise low finish inside the post, capitalising on excellent build-up play from midfield.
The decisive blow came just before half-time when veteran Gaël Kakuta doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 41st minute. After referee Ahmad Heeralall consulted the pitch-side monitor, he awarded the spot-kick for a foul inside the area. Kakuta calmly slotted into the top right corner, sending goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko the wrong way.
Kakuta completed his brace in the 60th minute, finishing clinically after superb work from Théo Bongonda down the wing. The 33-year-old’s experience and composure proved invaluable as DR Congo maintained their unbeaten group stage record.
Fiston Mayele thought he had added a fourth goal with a sensational downward header, but VAR intervened to rule out the effort for handball in the build-up—one of the few moments of frustration for the dominant Leopards.
Botswana, appearing in only their second-ever AFCON finals, exit the tournament without registering a single goal or point from their three matches. The Zebras struggled to cope with DR Congo’s intensity throughout, managing just one shot on target across the 90 minutes.
DR Congo finished level on seven points with Group D winners Senegal but miss out on top spot due to an inferior goal difference. They now face Algeria in what promises to be a fascinating encounter between two of the tournament’s most technically gifted sides.
