Senegal’s top AFCON group

Senegal held off Benin on Tuesday to advance to the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations as Group D winners, leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo to settle for second place which means they will play Algeria in a heavyweight tie in the next round.

Sadio Mane’s Senegal, champions of Africa in 2022, entered the final round of group games needing to beat Benin in Tangier and hoping their Congolese rivals failed to overtake them on goal difference.

Senegal won 3-0 against Benin, with Abdoulaye Seck and Habib Diallo scoring before skipper Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off in the second half. Cherif Ndiaye then added a late penalty.

DR Congo beat already relegated Botswana 3-0 at the same time in Rabat, meaning the top two both finished with seven points from three games, but Pape Thiaw’s Senegal topped the table by two goals.

As a result, Senegal have a much kinder run in the knockout stages and will remain in Tangiers for Saturday’s last-16 tie against third-placed Group E.

That will be either Burkina Faso or Sudan, who play each other in Casablanca on Wednesday.

The Leopards, instead, have to play 2019 champions Algeria in the last 16 next Tuesday, with the winner possibly facing Nigeria in the quarter-finals.

Benin’s three points, thanks to a solitary 1-0 win over Botswana, are enough to move up as one of the best teams in third place.

It will be just their second appearance in the AFCON knockouts and their reward is a meeting with Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in Agadir on Monday.

Israel-based centre-back Seck gave Senegal the lead from Krepin Diatta’s free-kick on 38 minutes and their second goal arrived just after the hour mark when a superb cut from Mane was met by Diallo.

Skipper Koulibaly was then sent off after a yellow card was upgraded to a red following a VAR review, leaving the Lions of Teranga to play the final 19 minutes plus stoppage time with one man down.

Ndiaye’s 97th-minute penalty made it 3-0 and ended any doubt about Senegal’s final place in the group.

Playmaker Gael Kakuta, once of Chelsea and now playing for Turkey, was in fine form for DR Congo against Botswana at the Al Medina Stadium as his back-to-back set up Nathanael Buku for the opener.

Kakuta then converted a penalty just before half-time and got his side’s second and third on the hour from Theo Bongonda’s assist.

Another goal at that point could have left DR Congo and Senegal on level records and facing a potential draw to determine their final group places.

DR Congo thought they had it when Fiston Mayel put the ball into the net in the 64th minute.

He appeared to score with his shoulder, but the goal was eventually disallowed for handball after a VAR review and it ended 3-0.