It was game over for Botswana when Yohan Roche scored the only goal of the game for Benin in the second round of fixtures in Group D. With two losses, four goals conceded and none scored, Botswana were the first team eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations. The group is otherwise wide open as the third game rolls around on Tuesday, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are in a very positive position.
Tunisia are set to compete in their 17th consecutive Africa Cup of Nations and begin their 2025 tournament against Uganda. The Eagles of Carthage qualified for the competition by finishing second in Group A, losing twice against eventual group winners Comoros and Gambia. Uganda also finished as runners-up in their qualifying campaign, just behind South Africa in Group K. The Cranes are managed by Paul Put, who has plenty of African management experience with Gambia, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Congo in the past.
Senegal enter as one of the tournament favourites, while Botswana aim to upset the odds and claim their first-ever win at an AFCON finals. Senegal The Teranga Lions arrive for their 18th AFCON appearance-and sixth in a row-after lifting the trophy in 2021. Their qualification campaign for Morocco 2025 was near flawless, going unbeaten in six matches, conceding just once, and finishing with the joint-best defensive record alongside Mali.
South Africa takes on Angola as Group B gets underway at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Bafana Bafana have won the tournament just once, back in 1996 and also finished runners-up two years later in 1998. Angola are competing for the seventh time and has only ever gone as far as the quarter-finals, doing so in 2008, 2010 and 2023.