Theo Bongonda’s early strike secured a vital 1-0 victory for DR Congo over Benin, moving the Leopards to the top of Group D as they begin their AFCON 2025 campaign in Morocco.
Theo Bongonda scored the decisive goal as DR Congo opened their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Benin in Rabat.
Bongonda capitalised on a defensive error early in the first half, firing left-footed past Saturnin Allagbe after the Benin defense failed to clear a long punt.
The win places the Leopards at the top of Group D, confirming their status as tournament dark horses under manager Sébastien Desabre.
Benin battled back impressively but lacked the cutting edge required to equalize, with Doku Dodo wasting two significant first-half opportunities.
DR Congo nearly doubled their lead when Cédric Bakambu found the net shortly after the interval, but a lengthy VAR check ruled the goal out for a marginal offside.
Despite late pressure from the Cheetahs, DR Congo’s backline, featuring Premier League talent like Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, remained resolute.
Reflecting on the challenge ahead, Benin coach Gernot Rohr remained optimistic despite the narrow defeat, stating, “The first step is to play a good match against DR Congo. Then we will push as far as we can.”
Meanwhile, Desabre emphasized focus as his side moves toward a heavyweight clash with Senegal. As noted in the match analysis, “the level at AFCON keeps rising, making every run even more demanding” for the competing nations.