Explore the latest developments concerning Desabre and his.
Desabre and his dual nationals – Fallen giants DR Congo are AFCON threats
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Ed Dove reacts to Morocco's 2-0 win against Comoros in the opening game of AFCON 2025. (1:51)
The great fallen giants of African football, the Democratic Republic of Congo once sat atop the continent — both international and club football — but have watched on over the last 50 years as they've been overtaken by Africa's other heavyweights.
Under French head coach Sebastien Desabre, however, they've begun to rediscover their verve while reimagining their identity, with the manager succeeding in effectively tapping into the country's expansive Diaspora in Europe and beyond.
Senegal v Botswana: Africa Cup of Nations – live
Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Senegal strolled to victory over Botswana, while DR Congo also won their Group D opener
Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Senegal got their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign off to a winning start with a comfortable 3-0 Group D victory over Botswana in Tangier.
Jackson converted Ismail Jakobs’ low cross to give his side the lead after 40 minutes as they broke the resistance of a stubborn Botswana. The Bayern Munich striker then showed quick feet from Ismaïla Sarr’s pass to finish from close range just before the hour mark.
Senegal, who won the Cup of Nations title in 2021 and are among the favourites again, overwhelmed their opponents with waves of attacks and added a third late on from Cherif Ndiaye, one of 28 efforts on the Botswana goal.
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DR Congo vs Benin: Reunion, memories and intersecting ambitions in Rabat
Democratic Republic of the Congo and Benin will kick off their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 campaigns in a fixture rich in symbolism on Tuesday in Rabat.
For Benin, this AFCON represents a long-awaited return. Absent from the 2021 and 2023 editions, the Guépards are back among Africa’s elite, driven by memories of their historic 2019 campaign in Egypt. That run, which ended in the quarterfinals, remains the nation’s best-ever performance. One of the key links between past and present is goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbé, a survivor of that adventure. “Those are great memories,” he reflects. “But this AFCON is a new story.”
For more detailed information, explore updates concerning Desabre and his.
