BONGONDA STRIKE GIVES DR CONGO A WINNING START AGAINST BENIN

By: Gyang Dakwo

The Democratic Republic of Congo began their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 campaign with a narrow but deserved 1 0 victory over Benin at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat.

Théo Bongonda scored the only goal of the match in the first half, and it proved enough to hand the Leopards maximum points in their opening Group game. The win also reflected the confidence the team brought into the tournament after securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup play offs.

DR Congo settled quickly and looked sharp from the opening minutes, and they controlled possession while pushing Benin back. Their pressure paid off in the 16th minute when a mix up in the Benin defence allowed Bongonda to stay calm and place the ball past goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbé.

After taking the lead, the Leopards continued to attack and moved the ball with confidence and purpose. Cédric Bakambu went close to scoring a second goal when he forced Allagbé into a strong one-on-one save, and another effort was later ruled out for offside as DR Congo kept pressing.

Benin did not give up, even though they were missing five suspended regular starters. The Cheetahs tried to respond through quick counterattacks and set pieces, and they worked hard to break the flow of the game. However, they struggled to create clear chances against a well-organised Congolese defence.

As the match entered the final stages, Benin pushed forward with more urgency and intent, but they lacked the finishing touch needed to equalise. DR Congo stayed disciplined and defended with maturity, and they comfortably saw out the game to secure a clean sheet and a valuable opening win.