DR Congo opened their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Benin Republic in a dramatic Group D encounter at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat on Tuesday.
An early strike from Théo Bongonda proved decisive for Sébastien Desabre’s side, who showed resilience to withstand sustained pressure from a Benin team that enjoyed the bulk of possession but lacked cutting edge in the final third.
The Leopards took the lead in the 16th minute following a lapse in Benin’s defence. Arthur Masuaku delivered a teasing cross into the penalty area, and Bongonda, left completely unmarked, made no mistake as he finished past goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbe to put DR Congo ahead.
Benin responded positively and dominated the remainder of the first half, pressing high and moving the ball confidently in search of an equaliser. However, despite their territorial advantage, clear-cut chances were few and far between, allowing DR Congo to head into the break with their slender lead intact.
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Desabre’s men thought they had doubled their advantage just two minutes after the restart when Cédric Bakambu found the back of the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.
Moments later, controversy followed when Benin appealed for a penalty after the ball appeared to strike Chancel Mbemba’s hand in the box. The incident went unchecked, however, with reports indicating the VAR monitor was not functioning.
The Cheetahs continued to pile on the pressure in the closing stages with a lengthy 10 minutes added on, but DR Congo remained organised and disciplined at the back to see out the result and secure all three points.
The win sends DR Congo to the top of Group D ahead of their next fixture against Senegal, while Benin will look to bounce back when they take on Botswana in their second group match.
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