Match: Africa Cup of Nations
Fixture: DR Congo vs Benin
Local Kick-off Time: December 23, 15:30
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Opening Odds
| Category | Option | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1X2 | 1 | 1.50 |
| X | 3.60 | |
| 2 | 6.50 | |
| Asian Handicap | -1 | 1.97 |
| +1 | 1.82 | |
| Scored | Goals Threshold: 2/2.5 | - |
| Over (2/2.5) | 1.95 | |
| Under (2/2.5) | 1.85 | |
| Corners | Corners Threshold: 8.5 | - |
| Over (8.5) | 2.00 | |
| Under (8.5) | 1.72 |
Summary: DR Congo Win
In terms of Asian Handicap, DR Congo is given a -0.75 goal line, which is relatively high for the Africa Cup of Nations. In their last five international matches, DR Congo has only lost 2-3 to Senegal, remaining unbeaten in all other fixtures. In contrast, Benin has suffered heavy defeats to Nigeria and Burkina Faso respectively, showing mediocre resistance against strong teams. With the sole aim of advancing to the next round, DR Congo is set to exert immense defensive pressure on Benin. It is highly likely that Benin will struggle to withstand DR Congo's relentless attacks and suffer a defeat in their opening group stage match.
Comprehensive Prediction Analysis:
DR Congo:
DR Congo narrowly lost to eventual champions Ivory Coast in the semi-finals of the last Africa Cup of Nations and enters this tournament with renewed morale. Led by head coach Sébastien Desabre, the team secured a narrow qualification for the World Cup qualifiers before defeating Cameroon and Nigeria consecutively to reach the intercontinental play-off final. Nicknamed "The Leopards", the side is just one step away from qualifying for their second World Cup finals and has set their ultimate goal on March 2026. Following a perfect five-game winning streak in warm-up matches, including a dominant victory over Zambia, DR Congo is targeting success at the Morocco-hosted tournament. Their solid defensive line, which conceded only one goal in the middle stage of recent matches, will be crucial in the Africa Cup of Nations, a tournament renowned for physical, attritional play. The injury absence of striker Visa has emerged as the biggest variable for DR Congo; the forward sustained a knee injury during the September international break and is sidelined for an extended period. Cédric Bakambu will step up to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibility, needing just two more goals to break Dieumerci Mbokani's national team record of 22 goals.
| Date/Competition | Home | Score (HT/FT) | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
Summary | Total: 25 (Scored 17, Conceded 8); Win Rate: 70.00% (W7 D1 L2) | - | - |
| 2025/12/16International Friendly | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2-0 (HT 1-0 FT 2-0) | Zambia |
| 2025/11/17FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Nigeria | 1-1 (HT 1-1 FT 1-1, Penalty kick 3-4) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 2025/11/14FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Cameroon | 0-1 (HT 0-0 FT 0-1) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 2025/10/15FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1-0 (HT 1-0 FT 1-0) | Sudan |
| 2025/10/10FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Togo | 0-1 (HT 0-1 FT 0-1) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 2025/09/10FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2-3 (HT 2-1 FT 2-3) | Senegal |
| 2025/09/05FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | South Sudan | 1-4 (HT 0-3 FT 1-4) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 2025/08/17CAF African Nations Championship | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1-3 (HT 1-1 FT 1-3) | Morocco |
| 2025/08/15CAF African Nations Championship | Angola | 0-2 (HT 0-0 FT 0-2) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 2025/08/07CAF African Nations Championship | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2-0 (HT 0-0 FT 2-0) | Zambia |
Benin:
Making their fifth appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, Benin has a lackluster historical record, with their quarter-final finish in 2019 being their best performance in four previous participations. However, the arrival of German head coach Gernot Rohr could turn the tide—six years ago, he led Nigeria's Super Eagles to a third-place finish. Nicknamed "The Cheetahs", Benin has suffered consecutive heavy defeats recently, losing 0-4 to Nigeria and 0-3 to Burkina Faso. Their impressive World Cup qualifying campaign, where they won three games in a row without conceding a goal, is now a distant memory. Facing DR Congo, a team they have never beaten, Rohr's side is eager to end this embarrassing record in Rabat. Benin has not suffered three consecutive defeats since 2022 and will fight tooth and nail to maintain this streak. Benin's star striker Steve Mounié is also targeting the national team's all-time top scorer title, needing two more goals to equal Sessègnon's record of 24 goals. Despite failing to score in seven consecutive Turkish Super Lig matches for his club Alanyaspor, Mounié previously netted four goals in a single start. 21-year-old rising star Doku Dodo has secured a starting spot and is set to make his Africa Cup of Nations debut.
| Date/Competition | Home | Score (HT/FT) | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
Summary | Total: 21 (Scored 9, Conceded 12); Win Rate: 40.00% (W4 D2 L4) | - | - |
| 2025/12/14International Friendly | FUS Rabat | 0-1 (HT 0-0 FT 0-1) | Benin |
| 2025/11/19International Friendly | Burkina Faso | 3-0 (HT 2-0 FT 3-0) | Benin |
| 2025/10/15FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Nigeria | 4-0 (HT 2-0 FT 4-0) | Benin |
| 2025/10/11FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Rwanda | 0-1 (HT 0-0 FT 0-1) | Benin |
| 2025/09/10FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Benin | 4-0 (HT 3-0 FT 4-0) | Lesotho |
| 2025/09/06FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Benin | 1-0 (HT 0-0 FT 1-0) | Zimbabwe |
| 2025/06/10International Friendly | Morocco | 1-0 (HT 1-0 FT 1-0) | Benin |
| 2025/03/26FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Benin | 0-2 (HT 0-0 FT 0-2) | South Africa |
| 2025/03/21FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) | Zimbabwe | 2-2 (HT 1-2 FT 2-2) | Benin |
| 2024/11/19CAF African Nations Championship | Libya | 0-0 (HT 0-0 FT 0-0) | Benin |
Final Prediction:
Handicap Prediction:
DR Congo -0.75 (Asian Handicap)
DR Congo Win (European Odds)
Predicted Scores: 2-0, 2-1, 3-0
Predicted Total Goals: 2, 3, 4
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