Aug, 20 2025
Senegal’s title defense met its first real test in Zanzibar, where Congo stood firm for a 1-1 draw that keeps Group D wide open at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024. On August 12, 2025, at Amaan Stadium, Dechan Moussavou’s early header stunned the defending champions before Joseph Layousse rescued a point with a second-half equalizer.
Senegal now sit on four points from two games after beating Nigeria 1-0 in their opener. Congo move to two points and, more importantly, proof that they can go toe-to-toe with one of the tournament’s favorites. With Nigeria facing Sudan later today, all four teams are still in the hunt for the last eight, and Group D just got a lot more tense.
How the game was won—and then leveled
Senegal head coach Souleymane Diallo warned beforehand that this had the feel of a trap. Congo didn’t wait long to spring it. In the 19th minute, right-back Charles Atipo whipped in a teasing delivery, and Moussavou attacked it with conviction, driving a header high past the keeper from close range. It was simple, direct, and brutally effective.
Congo set up in a compact 4-2-3-1 and leaned into the fight. Venold Dzaba and Gosim Elenga patrolled the middle, broke up rhythm, and steered Senegal away from the central spaces they like to use to turn and face goal. Every time Senegal tried to combine between the lines, a red shirt arrived on time with a shoulder, a toe-poke, or a tactical foul. The first half never found a natural flow—stop-start, scrappy, and exactly the type of rhythm Congo wanted.
Ulrich Samba barely had to make a meaningful save before the break. Senegal’s best look came in added time when Mbaye Yaya Ly wriggled loose down the left and cracked an angled effort that skidded just wide. Otherwise, the champions were reduced to crosses that Congo’s center-backs handled without fuss.
Diallo’s team came out after halftime with more width, a quicker tempo, and a willingness to cash in on set-pieces. Corners and long throws started to stack up. The equalizer felt inevitable and arrived that way: a driven corner, a well-timed run, and Layousse rising to thump home the leveler. It was direct and decisive—almost a mirror image of Congo’s opener.
From there, the game stretched. Senegal had more of the ball and kept pushing for a winner, but Congo stayed dangerous on the break. Atipo kept finding yards down the right, and Moussavou’s movement continued to force uneasy moments in the box. The referee had plenty to do as challenges remained full-blooded and tempers threatened to spark without ever boiling over.
Both teams created half-chances rather than clear ones in the final 20 minutes. Senegal tried to drag Congo wide and whip early crosses; Congo looked for quick diagonals into space and second balls from knockdowns. Neither side blinked. On balance, a draw made sense.
What the draw tells us—and what’s next
This was a reminder of how tournament football can turn on margins: two well-taken headers from dead-ball situations and the rest fought in meters, not miles. It also said plenty about both teams.
For Senegal, the defending champions are still hard to beat, even on an off day. They kept their composure after falling behind, didn’t panic, and found a way back through a set-piece. That matters in a short competition. But the first half showed a concern: when opponents pack central areas and raise the physicality, Senegal need quicker circulation and more runs beyond the last line. Too many attacks stalled in front of Congo’s block.
For Congo, the plan worked. The 4-2-3-1 was narrow without the ball, disciplined with it, and nasty in the duels without crossing into chaos. Dzaba and Elenga did the unseen work. Atipo’s delivery hurt. Moussavou showed the timing and presence you need on a day with few chances. The only gap was defending their own set-pieces, where Senegal consistently found separation with well-rehearsed routines.
Key moments that shaped the game:
- 19’—Congo strike first: Atipo’s right-wing cross, Moussavou’s powerful header, 0-1.
- Before halftime—Senegal limited: Mbaye Yaya Ly goes closest with a low angled effort.
- Second half—Senegal’s response: more width, higher tempo, and pressure from set-plays pays off.
- Layousse levels—A commanding header from a corner restores parity and turns the momentum.
The group picture is now tight. Senegal are on four points and remain in control of their path. Win the final group game and they’re through. A draw might still be enough, depending on other results and goal difference. Congo, on two points, have earned belief. Win their last match and they’ll give themselves a real shot at the quarter-finals. With Nigeria and Sudan yet to play today, the table can flip quickly—top two go through, and tiebreakers usually come down to head-to-head and goal difference.
Zooming out, the stakes are larger than one point. This tournament is a shop window for domestic-league players—unlike the Africa Cup of Nations, the African Nations Championship only features footballers registered at clubs in their home countries. Senegal arrived as the team to beat after winning the last edition in Algeria on penalties. They carry pedigree and expectation. Congo arrived with a clear identity and a plan to disrupt. Both left Amaan Stadium with a result they can build on.
There were encouraging individual notes. Layousse’s aerial strength is a useful weapon for Senegal, especially when open-play chances dry up. Mbaye Yaya Ly’s late-first-half burst hinted at a route to goal if he’s fed earlier and more often. For Congo, Atipo’s delivery was consistently dangerous, and Moussavou’s movement turned hopeful crosses into real opportunities. Samba, largely untested before the equalizer, handled his area well under pressure.
Discipline will matter from here. The first half was littered with stoppages and niggles that burned time and broke rhythm. That suited Congo early but cost them momentum once Senegal wrestled control. Managing those moments—knowing when to slow a game and when to speed it up—often decides group-stage fates as much as talent does.
Now the attention swings to the other Group D fixture. A Nigeria win would squeeze the middle of the table and set up a final round where every kick matters. A Sudan result would complicate things in a different way, but either scenario leaves qualification in reach for everyone. That’s the beauty and the strain of the group stage: a single swing, and the picture changes.
On a day when the champions didn’t fully click, they still took something. On a day when Congo weren’t fancied, they took plenty. The scoreboard says shared points; the subtext says both teams sharpened their edges for what’s next at CHAN 2025.