Sadio Mane’s equalizing goal maintained Senegal’s lead in Group D following a 1-1 draw with DR Congo, while Benin celebrated a historic first AFCON win.
Sadio Mane proved clinical once again as Senegal secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Playing in Morocco, the Teranga Lions found themselves trailing after Cedric Bakambu opened the scoring for the Congolese in the 61st minute.
However, Mane responded just eight minutes later, netting his 51st international goal to ensure the tournament favorites remained at the top of Group D.
Both nations now sit on four points after two group fixtures, placing them in a strong position to advance to the round of 16.
Senegal currently holds the top spot due to a superior goal difference, following their dominant 3-0 victory over Botswana earlier in the week.
With only one group game remaining on Tuesday, both sides appear poised for a comfortable progression into the knockout stages of the continental competition.
In the other Group D matchup, Benin secured a landmark result by defeating Botswana 1-0 in Rabat.
Yohan Roche scored the decisive goal in the 28th minute via a heavy deflection, handing Benin their first-ever victory at an AFCON finals in 16 attempts.
While no direct quotes were provided in the source text, the report noted that Mane’s equalizer helped Senegal “keep top place in Group D at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.”