Winners on matchday one, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo will look to maintain their perfect starts when they meet in Group D today at the Grand Stade de Tanger by 4 pm, Bold Sports reports.
The fixture brings together two sides with a shared AFCON history, meeting at the finals for the third time. Their first encounter came in 1968, when DR Congo claimed a decisive 2–1 victory in the final group match on their way to lifting the trophy later that year.
Senegal had their revenge 34 years later at the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, defeating DR Congo 2–0 in the quarter-finals through goals from Salif Diao and El Hadji Diouf. That win proved a landmark moment, as Senegal went on to reach their first AFCON final, finishing runners-up to Cameroon.
Overall, this will be the 11th meeting between the two nations, with the Teranga Lions holding the upper hand. The Teranga Lions have won six of those encounters and are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with DR Congo, a run that includes six wins and two draws. DR Congo’s last victory over Senegal dates back to a 4–0 friendly success in 1969.
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Recent meetings suggest a competitive edge remains. The sides faced each other in qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, drawing 1–1 in Dakar in June 2024 before the 2021 AFCON champions edged a dramatic 3–2 comeback win in Kinshasa in September 2025 to seal direct qualification for the finals.
There is also a familiar figure on the Senegal bench. Head coach Pape Thiaw was in charge when Senegal defeated DR Congo 3–0 at the 2022 African Nations Championship, a tournament the West Africans went on to win. With qualification within reach, both teams know victory in Tangier would mark a significant step towards AFCON glory.
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