The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group D match between Senegal and Botswana is set for Tuesday at the Grand Stade de Tanger in Morocco, where both teams will start their journey with differing hopes.
The Teranga Lions stride in as tournament favorites, while the Zebras dream of upsetting the script and chasing a historic first win on Africa’s grandest stage.
Senegal arrive at AFCON 2025 as seasoned campaigners, marking their 18th finals appearance and sixth consecutive run since their triumphant title win in 2021.
The Teranga Lions swept through qualification unbeaten, conceding a solitary goal in six matches and matching Mali for the tournament’s stingiest defence.
Sadio Mane and Habib Diarra spearheaded Senegal’s attack in qualifying, each netting three goals and showcasing the squad’s impressive balance.
Senegal’s preparations dazzled with memorable friendlies: a landmark 3-1 win over England in June 2025, a narrow 2-0 loss to Brazil in November, and a resounding 8-0 triumph against Kenya just days later.
World Cup qualifying saw Senegal overpower Mauritania and South Sudan in October 2025, then edge out DR Congo 3-2 in a September thriller.
Across six matches, Senegal racked up 22 goals while conceding just four, cementing their reputation among Africa’s footballing elite.
Senegal’s AFCON openers are a fortress: unbeaten in 15 of 17, with five straight victories to their name.
Anchored by stars like Mane, Sarr, and Kalidou Koulibaly, the squad embarks on a new chapter under Pape Thiaw, who takes the helm for his first AFCON as head coach.
This encounter marks the first AFCON finals meeting between Senegal and Botswana, though Senegal bested the Zebras twice in 2015 qualifying, with 2-0 and 3-0 victories in 2014.
