Former Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta delivered a midfield masterclass as DR Congo eased past Botswana with a commanding 3-0 victory in their final Group D match at the ongoing AFCON 2025 in Morocco, sealing a place in the Round of 16 for the fifth consecutive tournament.
Played in Rabat, the contest was billed as a must-win for Botswana, who needed a big-margin victory to keep their slim qualification hopes alive.
However, those ambitions were quickly extinguished by a dominant Congolese side that controlled the tempo from the opening exchanges and showcased their growing maturity on the continental stage.
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DR Congo whitewash Botswana to reach knockouts
While Botswana enjoyed early spells of possession, it was DR Congo who posed the greater attacking threat.
The Leopards peppered the Zebras’ goal with wave after wave of pressure, registering double-digit shots within the first half-hour.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 31st minute, when Nathanael Mbuku broke the deadlock with a composed low finish after a clever, defence-splitting assist from Kakuta.
The goal was the culmination of a slick passing move that underlined Congo’s technical superiority.
Just before the interval, Kakuta stamped his authority on the game once more. After referee Ahmed Heeralall awarded DR Congo a penalty following a VAR review, the experienced playmaker stepped up and calmly dispatched the spot kick into the top corner to double the lead, sending the Leopards into halftime firmly in control.
Any hopes of a Botswana comeback were effectively ended midway through the second half.
In the 60th minute, Kakuta capped off a memorable performance by slotting home Congo’s third goal, finishing off another well-orchestrated attacking sequence to complete what was arguably his finest display of the tournament so far.
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DR Congo continued to dominate proceedings thereafter, even having a fourth goal ruled out for a handball in the build-up.
Substitutes Noah Sadiki and Samuel Essende added fresh legs as the Leopards comfortably saw out the match, while Botswana struggled to register a meaningful response.
The Zebras exited the competition without scoring a single goal, highlighting the gulf in quality on the night.
The victory sees DR Congo finish second in Group D, behind Senegal, and sets up an enticing Round of 16 clash against Algeria.
This was DR Congo’s finest display in this year’s edition and with Kakuta pulling the strings and attackers like Mbuku and Mayele thriving, the Leopards look well-equipped to make a deep run in Morocco.
For Botswana, it was a sobering end to a difficult AFCON campaign.