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Senegal left winger Sadio Mané came to the team’s rescue as the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions were held to a 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo in a high-profile Group D encounter on Saturday.
The Leopards took the lead shortly after the hour mark through Cedric Bakambu in Tangiers, but Mané struck back within minutes to secure a point that keeps Senegal top of the group heading into the final round of fixtures.
Both sides now sit on four points, although Senegal hold the advantage on goal difference ahead of Tuesday’s decisive clash with Benin.
Earlier on Saturday, Benin boosted their qualification hopes by defeating Botswana 1-0 in Rabat, leaving Botswana rooted to the bottom of the group without a point or a goal.
The match carried an added edge for DR Congo, who were eager to avenge a painful defeat to Senegal in World Cup qualifying last September.
On that occasion, Senegal recovered from a two-goal deficit to claim a dramatic 3-2 victory in Kinshasa, a result that ultimately helped them top their group and secure qualification for the 2026 finals in North America.
That loss forced DR Congo to settle for second place in qualifying, though Sebastien Desabre’s side still have a potential route to the World Cup via a play-off against either New Caledonia or Jamaica in Mexico in March.
Senegal, who had opened their AFCON campaign with a convincing 3-0 win over Botswana and are widely viewed as a leading challenger to hosts Morocco, dominated possession and created the clearer chances throughout much of the contest.
However, it was DR Congo who broke the deadlock in the 61st minute. Theo Bongonda, scorer of the winning goal against Benin in their opener, saw his effort pushed away by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, but Bakambu reacted quickest to turn the rebound into the net.
The advantage was short-lived, as Senegal levelled just eight minutes later thanks to a moment of brilliance from teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye.
The 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger, who recently committed to representing Senegal after previously playing youth football for France, made an immediate impact after replacing Ismaila Sarr.
Mbaye surged down the right flank, bursting past Arthur Masuaku, who appeared to pick up an injury in the challenge. His initial effort was blocked by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, but Mane was perfectly placed to finish the rebound.
The goal was Mané’s 10th at the Africa Cup of Nations and further underlined his enduring importance to Senegal.
The former Liverpool forward is featuring at the tournament for the sixth time and remains a decisive figure as the champions push for another deep run.
