Benin 0-3 Senegal, AFCON 2025-26 Highlights: Cheetahs Qualify For R016 Despite Loss To Teranga Lions - As It Happened

Welcome folks. This is the start of our Benin Vs Senegal, AFCON Group D match live blog. Stay tuned for all the real-time updates, scores and more.

• Location: Tanger, Morocco

• Stadium: Ibn Batouta Stadium

• Date: Wednesday, December 31

• Kick-off Time: 12:30 a.m. IST

Benin XI: Marcel Dandjinou, Tamimou Ouorou, Olivier Verdon, Mohamed Tijani, Yohan Roche, Steve Mounie, Hassane Imourane, Dodo Dokou, Attidjikou, Aiyegun Tosin and Junior Olaitain

Senegal XI: Edouard Mendy, Krépin Diatta, Kalidou Koulibaly (C), E. Diouf, A. Seck, Idrissa Gana Gueye, L. Camara, P.M. Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye, Sadio Mane and H. Diallo

And we are underway for the first-half of this Group D match between Benin and Senegal. Let's see who scores the first goal.

Senegal are off to a positive start as expected and Benin have got only two touches in the opening 10 minutes or so. By the initial looks of it, this is going to be a one-sided affair.

Fairly one-sided so far as Senegal continue to work their way with the ball but surprisingly they haven't had a shot on target or taken any either.

Benin's Mohamed Tijani wastes an easy opportunity. He picked up a pass and plenty of options, but to shoot from distance. He sends the ball skywards. That's the first attempted shot of the match. Wow.

Senegal have won a free kick due Benin defender Yohan Roche's foul. The Teranga Lions are missing the attacking sting tonight as it appears.

Abdoulaye Seck rises highest to meet a pinpoint delivery, powering a clinical header into the bottom-left corner. It was a moment of pure aerial brilliance, as Seck timed his jump to perfection to leave the goalkeeper stranded and ignite the crowd.

Referee Samuel Uwikunda had stopped the game briefly to check whether Abdoulaye Seck's goal was legal or not and after the VAR check it was given in favour of Senegal. 7 minutes have been added on due to the interruption.

Senegal holds a slender lead at the interval thanks to a moment of aerial brilliance from Abdoulaye Seck.

The defender rose highest to power home a pinpoint cross in the 39th minute, breaking Benin’s stubborn resistance. While the Cheetahs have looked dangerous on the counter, the Teranga Lions’ clinical edge remains the difference.

Here we go for the final 45 minutes minutes of this Group D matchday 3 encounter. Senegal and DR Congo are well on their way to the round of 16.

Habib Diarra nearly doubles the lead with a powerful drive from the edge of the area that flashes inches wide of the right post. Senegal remains in total control, patiently recycling possession and probing for another opening to strike.

Senegal doubles their lead through a moment of pure magic from Habib Diallo! After taking a slick short pass from Sadio Mane in his stride, Diallo showed incredible composure to jink past his marker inside the box and unleash a thunderous, unstoppable strike straight down the middle of the goal.

It's 0-2, and the Mane-Diallo connection has the Teranga Lions firmly in the driver's seat.

Eight minutes to go before the full-time whistle. It has been one-sided even if a bit scrappy by Senegal. However, the Teranga Lions tripled their lead through a successful penalty from Cherif Ndiaye.

Senegal secured top spot in Group D with a clinical 3-0 victory over Benin in Tangier. Abdoulaye Seck opened the scoring with a powerful 39th-minute header, followed by a clinical Habib Diallo strike in the 70th minute after a brilliant Mane assist. Despite captain Kalidou Koulibaly receiving a straight red card in the 71st minute, Senegal added a third via a late Cherif Ndiaye penalty to seal a dominant win.

Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, DR Congo, South Africa, Tunisia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mozambique, Sudan and Tanzania.

Tanzania secured the final spot as the best third-placed team following the results in Group C, narrowly edging out Angola and Comoros on goal difference.