Already eliminated from contention, Botswana will bring their AFCON 2025 campaign to a close against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a Group D encounter at the Stade Al Medina in Rabat.
While progression is no longer possible for the Zebras, the fixture offers a chance to end their tournament on a positive note against a DR Congo side looking to maintain momentum and sharpen their edge ahead of the knockout phase.
The match also carries historical significance for Botswana. It will be their first AFCON finals appearance against a team from outside West Africa, with all five of their previous matches at the tournament having come against opponents from that region.
Across all competitions, this will be the sixth meeting between the two nations. Botswana are yet to record a win in open play against DR Congo, who have claimed two victories, while three encounters have ended in stalemate.
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Their first competitive meetings came during qualifying for the 2004 AFCON. DR Congo secured a 2-0 home win in the first leg in October 2002 before a goalless draw in Gaborone in July 2003 confirmed their place at the Tunisia 2004 finals.
Draws have been a recurring theme in the fixture, with all three stalemates, a 2004 qualifier, a 2005 friendly, and the 2016 COSAFA Cup semi-final finishing without a goal. Botswana, however, advanced on penalties in Windhoek in that COSAFA Cup meeting.
The most recent encounter was a friendly in June 2017, which DR Congo won 2-0, extending Botswana’s unwanted record of failing to score in any of their five previous meetings. As they meet again in Rabat, Botswana will be aiming to break that drought, while DR Congo seek to underline their dominance before the knockout rounds.
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