Already-eliminated Botswana face the Democratic Republic of the Congo in their final Group D fixture at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025. The match will be played at the Stade Al Medina in Rabat on 30 December, with kick-off at 20h00 local time (19h00 GMT).

This will be Botswana’s first AFCON match against a team from outside West Africa, with their previous five appearances at the finals all coming against West African opposition.

It is the sixth meeting overall between the two nations. Botswana are winless in open play against DR Congo, who have recorded two victories, while three matches have ended level.

The sides previously met in the 2004 AFCON qualifiers, where DR Congo won the first leg 2-0 at home on 13 October 2002. The return match in Gaborone on 5 July 2003 ended 0-0, a result that helped DR Congo qualify for the Tunisia 2004 finals.

All three drawn matches between the teams — a 2004 AFCON qualifier, a friendly in 2005, and a COSAFA Cup semi-final in 2016 — ended goalless, with Botswana advancing on penalties in Windhoek in the latter encounter.

Their most recent meeting was a friendly international on 5 June 2017, which DR Congo won 2-0. Botswana have never scored a goal in five previous matches against DR Congo.

PAST MEETINGS

OVERALL
Botswana: P5 W0 D3 L2 GF0 GA4 GD-4
DR Congo: P5 W2 D3 L0 GF4 GA0 GD+4

Botswana – Key Statistics

·       Have lost both their matches without scoring, going down 3-0 to Senegal and 1-0 to Benin.

·       Have lost their first five matches at the Africa Cup of Nations, becoming the second team to do so after Benin.

·       Defeat will see them become the second nation, after Benin, to lose their first six matches at AFCON.

·       All five of their AFCON matches have produced a winner.

·       Are yet to keep a clean sheet at AFCON.

·       Their only previous third group match, in 2012, ended in a 2-1 loss to Mali, a game in which they initially took the lead in the 50th minute through Mogakolodi Ngele.

·       Their defeat to Benin was their fifth loss at AFCON and their third by a single-goal margin.

·       Attempted 465 passes against Benin, their most at the current finals.

·       Completed 383 passes against Benin.

·       Mothusi Johnson struck the woodwork in the loss to Benin, the first time Botswana have hit the woodwork in five AFCON matches.

·       Managed one shot on target against Benin, their first on target at the current edition.

·       Mosha Gaolaolwe recorded 91 touches against Benin, the most by a Botswana player in the match.

·       Thatoyane Ditlhokwe attempted 79 passes and completed 68 against Benin, the most by a Botswana player in a single match at AFCON 2025.

DR Congo – Key Statistics

·       Are unbeaten across their two group matches, with a 1-0 win over Benin followed by a 1-1 draw against Senegal.

·       Are unbeaten in their last six AFCON group-stage matches (W2 D4).

·       Their last longer unbeaten run in AFCON group matches was nine games between 2013 and 2017.

·       Their most recent group-stage defeat came against Egypt in their second group match at the 2019 finals, a 2-0 loss.

·       A draw will see them reach the knockout stages for a fifth tournament in succession, having progressed in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023.

·       Were last eliminated at the group stage in 2013.

·       Have been eliminated at the group stage just once in their last six AFCON appearances.

·       Progression would see them reach the knockout stages for the 14th time overall.

·       DR Congo have drawn 15 of their last 26 AFCON matches since 2013 (W6 D5), more than any other nation in that period.

·       Cédric Bakambu scored his fourth AFCON goal for DR Congo against Senegal; only Ndaye Mulamba (10), Mayanga Maku (6) and Dieumerci Mbokani (5) have scored more for the nation at the finals.

·       Bakambu’s strike against Senegal was DR Congo’s 96th goal at AFCON.

·       Managed just 35.9% possession against Senegal, their lowest share at AFCON 2025.

·       Attempted 281 passes against Senegal, completing 218, while Senegal attempted 506 and completed 439.

·       Samuel Moutoussamy attempted the most passes for DR Congo against Senegal (41).

·       Chancel Mbemba contested 11 duels against Senegal and won eight, the most by any player in the match.

·       Axel Tuanzebe made a game-high 10 clearances against Senegal.

Source: CAF