AFCON: Tunisia Overpower Uganda as Nigeria, Senegal and DR Congo Prevail

Matchday Three of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 delivered a mix of authority, resilience and fine attacking moments as Tunisia, Nigeria, Senegal and DR Congo all opened their campaigns with victories.

Tunisia 3–1 Uganda

Tunisia made an emphatic start to their Group C campaign with a controlled 3–1 victory over Uganda at the Annexe Olympic Stadium in Rabat.

The Carthage Eagles asserted themselves early and were rewarded in the 10th minute when Elyes Skhiri finished off a slick passing move to give Tunisia the lead. Uganda struggled to gain a foothold as Tunisia dictated the tempo and moved the ball with confidence.

Their dominance told five minutes before half-time when Elias Achouri calmly slotted home from inside the box to double the advantage. Tunisia continued in the same vein after the break, organised and disciplined, before Achouri struck again in the 64th minute to effectively seal the contest.

Uganda managed a late consolation in stoppage time through Denis Omedi, capitalising on a rare lapse in Tunisian concentration, but the result had long been decided.

Despite the defeat, Uganda head coach Paul Put admitted his side fell short on the night.

“We showed them too much respect. If you play AFCON, you need to win the duels. We only had about 25 minutes of the game, the rest we were on the back foot,” he said, adding that his team must now respond under pressure in their next fixture.

Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi praised his squad’s collective effort and the tournament organisation.

“Our goal is to improve with each match as we gain momentum,” he said, also commending the playing surface despite heavy rain.

Man of the Match Elias Achouri dedicated his performance to the fans. “Thank you to my teammates and to the supporters who came out in this rain. We hope we made them proud,” he said.

Nigeria 2–1 Tanzania

Nigeria were forced to dig deep to secure a 2–1 win over a spirited Tanzania side, with Ademola Lookman delivering an immediate response after the Taifa Stars drew level early in the second half.

The Super Eagles dominated possession in the first half and went ahead in the 36th minute when Semi Ajayi powered home a header from an Alex Iwobi corner, moments after Victor Osimhen had been denied on the goal line.

Nigeria appeared to have doubled their lead early in the second half through Osimhen, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside. Tanzania took full advantage moments later when Charles M’Mbowa finished calmly after a defence-splitting pass to equalise.

The celebrations were short-lived. Barely a minute later, Lookman curled a superb effort from the edge of the area to restore Nigeria’s lead, a strike that ultimately decided the contest.

Nigeria managed the remainder of the game with composure, although Tanzania came close late on through Ibrahim Hamad. Ajayi was named Man of the Match and said the team had set high standards following their recent success.

Coach Eric Chelle welcomed the three points but admitted improvements were needed, while Tanzania’s Miguel Ángel Gamondi praised his side’s tactical discipline and belief.

Senegal 3–0 Botswana

Defending champions Senegal underlined their status as tournament favourites with a commanding 3–0 win over Botswana in Tangier.

Botswana goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko kept his side in the contest with a string of impressive saves, denying Nicolas Jackson, Sadio Mané and Iliman Ndiaye as Senegal dominated the opening exchanges.

The breakthrough eventually came five minutes before half-time when Jackson finished first time from Ismail Jakobs’ cross. Senegal maintained their authority after the break and doubled the lead through Jackson again, this time finishing from an Ismaila Sarr assist.

Late substitute Chérif Ndiaye added a third in the 90th minute to cap an assured display.

Man of the Match Jackson said he was delighted to start the tournament strongly, while coach Pape Thiaw highlighted his team’s discipline and professionalism. Botswana coach Morena Ramorewboli acknowledged Senegal’s quality, particularly out wide, but remained confident his side would improve.

DR Congo 1–0 Benin

DR Congo began their AFCON campaign with a narrow but deserved 1–0 victory over Benin at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat.

The Leopards started brightly and were rewarded in the 16th minute when Théo Bongonda capitalised on a defensive mix-up to score the only goal of the match. DR Congo continued to threaten, with Cédric Bakambu denied by a fine save and another effort ruled out for offside.

Benin, missing several suspended regulars, showed determination and organisation, particularly late on, but struggled to break down a disciplined Congolese defence.

Bongonda, named Man of the Match, said the result reflected the competitiveness of the tournament, while Benin coach Gernot Rohr praised his team’s effort and looked ahead to their next match with renewed optimism.

Matchday Three sets the tone for a fiercely contested AFCON Morocco 2025, with early momentum now firmly on the side of some of the tournament’s heavyweights.