CK Updates
LIVE: AFCON 2025 – 30 December 2025 – 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025. 23:01
Join AfricanFootball.com for LIVE updates from all 52 matches of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, as 24 teams battle for glory in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January.
Today’s matches:
18h00 – Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia
18h00 – Uganda 1-3 Nigeria
21h00 – Benin v Senegal
21h00 – Botswana v DR Congo
Updates:
90+10’ – Full time. Benin 0-3 Senegal. Done and dusted in Tangier, with the Teranga Lions claiming a victory to finish top of Group D.
Senegal will therefore play in the first round of 16 match, set for Saturday evening in Tangier, against the third-place finisher from Group E (either Burkina Faso or Sudan), while Benin will take on Egypt in Agadir on Monday.
90+7’ – GOAL! Benin 0-3 Senegal. Cherif Ndiaye cracks home the spot kick!
Full-Time: Botswana 0-3 DR Congo (Mbuku 31′ Kakuta 41′ 60′). The Leopards progress to the Round of 16 as Group D runners-up and they will face Algeria at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium on January 6. However, the Zebras, who came into the match having already been eliminated, returned home after finishing fourth in the Group D standings.
90+4’ – Penalty to Senegal! Abdoul Moumini trips up Ibrahim Mbaye and it’s a spot kick to the Teranga Lions.
90+1’ – There will be eight minutes of added time.
86’ – Closing in on full time in Tangier, where Senegal remain 2-0 up against Benin and on course to secure top spot in Group D.
85′ – Michel-Ange Balikwisha dribbles past several Botswana defenders, but he is denied by Goitseone Phoko makes his fourth save tonight.
79’ – Senegal are looking to control the game with possession, hoping to draw a mistake from the Cheetahs.
75′ – The Zebras refresh their midfield as Gape Mohutsiwa is going off and South African coach Morena Ramoreboli gives the last tactical orders to Godiraone Modingwane.
71’ – Red card! After a VAR review, Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly is shown a straight red for a studs up challenge on the Achilles heel of Aiyegun Tosin. That’s a huge blow for the Teranga Lions, who will be without the key defender and captain for at least the round of 16!
67’ – Midway through the second half in Tangier. As things stand, Senegal will finish top of the group on goal difference ahead of DR Congo.
69′ – Fiston Mayele, who is arguably the best striker based in Africa, thought he had netted his sixth international goal, but it is disallowed after a VAR Check due to a handball.
63’ – GOAL! Benin 0-2 Senegal. The Teranga Lions double their lead via Habib Diallo, who beautifully sweeps home a fine assist from Sadio Mane.
60′ – GOAL! Botswana 0-3 DR Congo. Guess who? It’s Gael Kakuta with his second goal of the night and his fifth goal for the Leopards. That is a brilliant finish by the experienced attacker. Inspired-substitute Theo Bongonda with the assist.
60’ – We’ve hit the hour mark, with Senegal dialling up the pressure in search of a second goal.
51’ – Habib Diarra tries to curl one into the top corner from long range, but his radar is just a little off.
54′ – It gets worse for Botswana! The Zebras have lost their captain Thatayaone Ditlhokwe due to an injury and he is replaced by Tebogo Kopelang.
46’ – Back underway in Tangier. Senegal make two changes, with Ibrahim Mbaye and Habib Diarra replacing Iliman Ndiaye and Lamine Camara, while Rodolfo Aloko is swapped in for Doukou Dodo for Benin.
46′ – The second-half is underway in a match between Botswana and DR Congo.
45+8’ – Half time. Benin 0-1 Senegal. The Teranga Lions lead in Tangier and they are on course to finish on top of the group.
Half-Time: Botswana 0-2 DR Congo (Mbuku 31′ Kakuta 41′). The Leopards are leading at the interval and as things stand, they will face Algeria in the Round of 16 on January 6 in Rabat.
45+4’ – Steve Mounie with a shooting chance for Benin, but his effort is smothered by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
45′ – Six minutes added as the Zebras look to pull one back before the half-time break.
45+1’ – There will be seven minutes of added time.
43 – After a lengthy check, the goal is given the green light by VAR, with Seck’s effort appearing to have made contact with the elbow.
41′ – GOAL! Botswana 0-2 DR Congo. Gaël Kakuta fires past Goitseone Phoko from the spot-kick for his fourth international goal in DR Congo colours. Make that a goal and an assist for the former France under-21 international tonight.
38’ – GOAL! Benin 0-1 Senegal. Abdoulaye Seck heads home with impressive power and precision after meeting a free kick from Krepin Diatta.
39′ – Penalty for DR Congo. Thabo Leinanyane is adjudged to have handled the ball in the box. A chance for the Leopards to double their lead.
37’ – Lamine Camara shoots from long range and forces Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou into the first notable save of the match.
31′ GOAL! Botswana 0-1 DR Congo. 23-year-old Nathanaël Mbuku Wa Mbuku pokes the ball home for his second international goal after a beautiful team move by the Leopards. Gaël Kakuta with the assist – a sublime backheel pass.
28′ – Fiston Mayele jumps for a cross in the goal area, but his header goes narrowly wide of the left post! A decent chance for the Leopards of DR Congo.
23’ – The first notable effort at goal comes from Benin’s Mohamed Tijani, who hits a long-range shot high and wide.
15′ – Botswana doing most of the defending as DR Congo push for an early goal. Meschack Elia is denied by Goitseone Phoko, who pulls off a comfortable save.
15’ – A pause in play while Lamine Camara received treatment for an injury.
9′ – Fiston Mayele latches onto a pull back in the box right in front of goal, but the DR Congo striker’s shot towards the bottom left corner is pretty weak and Goitseone Phoko makes an easy save.
8’ – Plenty of possession for Senegal in the early minutes, but no clear scoring chances just yet.
1′ – The match between Botswana and DR Congo is underway in Rabat.
1’ – Kick-off. Benin 0-0 Senegal. We are underway in Tangier. The Cheetahs wear all yellow, while the Teranga Lions are in all green.
Botswana v DR Congo Lineups:
Botswana: Goitseone Phoko – Thabo Leinanyane, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Mothusi Johnson, Gilbert Baruti, Mothusi Cooper, Segolame Boy, Kabelo Seakanyeng, Gape Mohutsiwa, Thabang Sesinyi
DR Congo: Lionel M’Pasi N’Zau – Joris Kayembe, Rocky Bushiri, Chancel Mbemba, Gedeon Kalulu Kyatengwa, Charles Pickel, Meschak Elia, Gaël Kakuta, Nathanael Mbuku, Ngal’ayel Mukau, Fiston Mayele
20h45 – Benin and Senegal have met 10 times, dating back as far as 1961. The Teranga Lions have claimed seven wins compared to one for the Cheetahs, while two games have been drawn.
The teams last met in an international friendly in Amiens in March 2024, with Senegal winning 1-0 thanks to a second-half penalty from Sadio Mane.
20h35 – Line-ups:
Benin: M. Dandjinou, T. Ourou, O. Verdon, M. Tijani, Y. Roche, D. Dodo, A. Samadou, H. Imourane, A. Tosin, S. Mounie, J. Olaitan
Senegal: E. Mendy, K. Diatta, A. Seck, K. Koulibaly, M. Diouf, P. Sarr, I. Gueye, L. Camara, I. Ndiaye, H. Diallo, S. Mane
20h30 – Group D wraps up in this late evening slot, with Benin taking on Senegal at the Tangier Grand Stadium.
As things stand, Senegal tops the log with four points – level with DR Congo (who play already-eliminated Botswana in a concurrent match in Rabat) and one point ahead of third-placed Benin.
The good news for the top three is that they are all guaranteed to progress to the last 16, either as group winners, runners-up, or as one of the best third-place finishers. Only their final order in the group needs to be decided.
Full-time – Uganda 1 (Mato 75′) Nigeria 3 (Onuachu 28′, Onyedika 63′, 67′). A comfortable win in the end for Eric Chelle’s side, who were aided by Salim Magoola’s sending-off on 57 minutes to score twice more and maintain their perfect record in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Full-time: Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia – The Taifa Stars and Eagles of Carthage share the spoils in their final Group C fixture. Both sides have now booked their spot in the tournament’s Round of 16.
90’ – Four minutes of additional time between Tanzania and Tunisia.
74’ – Tunisia begin to probe on the edge of the Tanzania area, Tanzania sitting tight for the time being.
67′ – Goal! Uganda 0-3 Nigeria. It’s game over now as Onyedika scores again. The Club Brugge midfielder is played in by Chukwueze and tucks his shot past Alionzi.
64′ – Alionzi is called into action moments later after Osimhen receives a pass inside the box and tests the third-choice goalkeeper with a low shot.
63′ – Goal! Uganda 0-2 Nigeria. The Super Eagles take immediate advantage of the extra man as Chukwueze finds Frank Onyeka in space inside the box and he tucks his shot between the legs of Alionzi to make it 2-0.
61′ – Samuel Chukwueze fails to test Nafian Alionzi from the resulting free-kick which clears the crossbar by some distance. Poor attempt!
60’ – Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia: Tense conditions between the two sides as both actively search for their second goal, while Tanzania crank up the pressure.
57′ – Uganda are really in trouble now after Salim Magoola handles the ball outside his area and receives his marching orders after Osimhen attempted to dink the ball over the goalkeeper’s head.
50′ – Early chance for Nigeria after the restart as Chidozie Awaziem misses the target by a whisker after directing the ball narrowly past the left post from close range.
48’ – Goal! Tanzania draw level in stunning fashion as Feisal Salum hits a right-footed shot from outside the box.
46′ – Nigeria get the ball rolling in the second half.
46’ – As summoned by the referee, we’re back with the second-half between Tanzania and Tunisia.
45’ – Four minutes added on at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium between Tanzania and Tunisia.
45′ – The fourth official indicates four minutes of additional time at the end of the first half.
42’ – Goal! Tunisia take the lead via the penalty spot as Gharbi sends the goalkeeper in the opposite direction.
41’ – Penalty to Tunisia! Ibrahim Hamad penalized for a foul inside the 18-yard-area.
39′ – Onyango goes down for the third time with what appears to be an injury, but Put might just wait until half-time before making a change in goal.
38’ – Penalty check for Tunisia! The referee heads to the pitch side monitor to investigate a possible infringement inside the Tanzania area.
29′ – Goal! Uganda 0-1 Nigeria. Nigeria make the breakthrough just seconds later as Fisayo Dele-Bashiru finds Onuachu with a neat pass inside the bnox after Onyango came ruishing out and the Trabzonspor striker slots home into an open net.
28′ – Victor Osimhen makes his way into the box and cuts the ball back for Paul Onuachu, who forces Denis Onyango into a smart with his a well-struck shot.
26’ – Daring effort by Gharbi who attempts to score within a few meters inside the Tanzania half. After spotting the goalkeeper off his line, Gharbi’s lofted effort sails over the crossbar.
25′ – Just past the midway point in the first half and the Super Eagles have yet to fashion an attempt at goal despite enjoying 60 per cent of the possession.
25’ – Still goalless between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat as they battle to make the most of their attacking advancements.
18′ Another chance for Uganda sees a cross come out to Denis Omedi inside the box, but he takes a heavy touch instead of attempting a shot at goal and the ball goes out for a goal-kick.
13′ – The Cranes go close to the opener as Mato climbs highest to head a cross narrowly past the right post.
14’ Tunisia press on and produce the first notable chance of the game as Ismael Gharbi hits the woodwork with a left-footed shot from the right-side of the box.
10′ – A subdued start from both teams in Fez. There have been no clear-cut chances in the opening 10 minutes, with Rogers Mato having horribly over-hit a free-kick that cleared the crossbar on five minutes.
5’ Timid start by Tanzania and Tunisia while the latter are moving up the pitch more frequently.
4′ – Calvin Bassey will have to tread lightly for the rest of the game after picking up an early yellow card for a late challenge.
1′ – Uganda get proceedings underway at the Fez Stadium.
1’ We’re off between Tanzania and Tunisia at Stade Olympique Annexe Complexe Sportif Prince Abdellah!
What the managers said:
Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle: “I’m happy, once again, with the intensity we showed for 75 minutes. I’m pleased with how we recovered the ball both very high up the pitch and very deep.
“We were able to move forward quickly, but also to keep possession for long periods of the game. We created a lot of chances and opportunities to score.
“We deserved this win, and I think we were the better team in every area of the game. Of course, it would be nice to finish a match without having to suffer so much.”
Uganda head coach Paul Put: “I think we didn’t deserve a draw. I think we had more opportunities. If you look at the ball possession, we had more of it. We also missed a penalty which is very painful but that is a part of football.
“We have a very young team so my responsibility is also to build a team for 2027 because we are the host country.
“I spoke to the players and informed that they we need to keep the belief. You have to play until the last game. Yes we are disappointed, but we need to reset the mindset and prepare for the match against Nigeria which we know will not be easy.”
Tanzania vs Tunisia: The Taifa Stars and Eagles of Carthage have met on two occasions in the past, with Tunisia recording a 1-0 win in November 2020, while they shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in the following encounter.
It could turn out to be a gamble though, as the West African giants have failed to beat Uganda in three previous attempts. The last meeting between the two teams, a friendly on 20 November 2018, finished goalless.
The Cranes must win in Fez to keep their AFCON adventure alive after picking up just one point from the opening two matches. Paul Put’s side were beaten 3-1 by the Eagles of Carthage on December 23 before playing out to a 1-1 draw with East African neighbours Tanzania four days later.
Tanzania vs Tunisia: Tanzania and Tunisia will battle it out for second-place in Group C and ultimately, a position among the last 16 of the tournament.
Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle makes sweeping changes to his team, with Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi and Victor Osimhen the only players retained from the 3-2 win over Tunisia three days ago. The Super Eagles are already guaranteed top spot in Group C and Chelle has opted to give other squad members crucial minutes in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Tanzania vs Tunisia starting line-ups:
Tanzania: Masalanga, Job, Nondo, Hamad, Husseini, Msanga, Morishi, Mnoga, Salum, Msuva, Samatta
Tunisia: Dahmen, Abdi, Talbi, Valery, Skhiri, Bronn, Mejbri, Tounekti, Achouri, Mastouri, Gharbi
Uganda v Nigeria starting line-ups:
Uganda: D. Onyango, K. Semakula, T. Sibbick, J. Obita, A. Kayondo, B. Byaruhanga, T. Mutyaba, B. Alhassan, D. Omedi, U. Ikpeazu, R. Mato.
Nigeria: F. Uzoho, R. Alebiosu, I. Ogbu, C. Bassey, B. Onyemaechi, F. Dele-Bashiru, R. Onyedika, S. Chukwueze, P. Onuachu, V. Osimhen, M. Simon.
No side will relish coming up against Calvert-Lewin and this aggressive Leeds outfit at Elland Road this season.
In fact, only Arsenal (52), Manchester City (50), Manchester United (45) and Bournemouth (37) have won more Premier League points in 2026 than Leeds United (35), with the Whites suffering just a single defeat across their past 13 league matches.
Yet Newcastle‘s implosion was remarkable as a young team were bullied and outfought.
Newcastle had previously made a good start under head coach Matthias Jaissle, following so much change in the summer, and were unbeaten in their opening five games in all competitions before this reality check.
But they have faced more shots than any other side in the Premier League.
However clinical Newcastle were in the opening weeks of the campaign, they mustered just eight efforts on target against Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth before their trip to Elland Road.
That was a dangerous cocktail going into this game.
What was most galling, though, was the visitors’ failure to match Leeds‘ bite at a raucous Elland Road.
Jaissle’s side crumbled and conceded three goals in a chastening 14-minute period in the first half.
It was a night the German manager swore in his post-match news conference to illustrate how low he felt.
“I don’t want to point fingers and point any players out tonight,” he said. “We were not matching as a team the level of intensity, the level of duel behaviours, the level of physicality.
“This is something we need to bring on the pitch in every match. This is non-negotiable. It should be the basic fundamentals of football.
“These are young lads. The learning curve needs to be fast.”
For Calvert-Lewin and Leeds, however, this was a night to remember.
Gary Hamilton has been linked with most Irish Premiership vacancies since he left his role at Glenavon in 2023.
Hamilton made 132 appearances and scored 70 goals for the east Belfast side and is already well respected at the club.
The 45-year-old has always had an eye for bringing in and developing younger talent, a skill which would benefit the Glens.
During his almost 12-year spell at the Lurgan Blues, he won the Irish Cup twice in 2014 and 2016, registered four third-place finishes and European football.
Hamilton currently manages Conference League side Ballymacash Rangers, who have won the Steel and Sons for the first time during his tenure.
A manager such as Hamilton, who has secured plenty of silverware during his career, will certainly tick a lot of the boxes that Glentoran would be hoping for in a new manager.
Whereas players in sports like football earn a salary based on a contract with the team that employs them, and athletes in individual sports like tennis and golf can earn a great deal from prize money at major tournaments, athletics competitors rely much more heavily on personal sponsorships and endorsements.
That is because they are paid no direct annual salary, and the only standardised prize money on offer is $50,000 (£37,000) for winning gold in one of the 48 track and field events at the Olympics.
That prize money was only introduced at the 2024 Games in Paris, and is paltry compared to the potential millions in winnings on offer in other major sports.
Some nations – including the USA – also choose to pay athletes who win medals from their own resources, but Britain does not.
Instead, athletes are awarded funding and grants by UK Sport, with the majority of the money coming from the National Lottery.
UK Sport ranks athletes by how likely they are to win medals at major events, and gives more funding to those whose chances it believes are better.
Athletes typically use that funding to pay for training camps, equipment, travel and, in some cases, personal support staff like physiotherapists, nutritionists and chefs.
So why would athletes be instructed to wear national team kit at the Ultimates?
The Ultimate Championship is billed as three fast-paced evenings with a record $10m (£7.4m) prize pot on offer for the biggest stars in athletics.
The condensed schedule and focus on star names is designed to appeal to viewers on television and social media – the latter likely playing a role in the focus on short, sharp bursts of action which can capture attention online.
Most viewers of athletics are used to watching athletes compete while wearing national kit at the Olympics and World Championships. Put simply, the use of a national kit makes it easier for the casual viewer to quickly spot who they should be rooting for and feel invested in the action.
But Kerr’s comments have highlighted the fact that something which may well improve the viewing experience can be felt as a direct financial negative by the athletes themselves.
With the next edition of the Ultimate Championship set to take place in September 2028, shortly after the Olympics in Los Angeles, the battle between brands and country could continue to heat up.
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CK Updates15 hours agoJosh Kerr: Ultimate Championship 1500m winner ramps up debate over country vs brands kit
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CK Updates8 hours agoIrish Premiership: Who will replace Declan Devine as Glentoran manager?
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CK Updates2 hours agoLeeds 4-1 Newcastle: Is ‘unplayable’ Calvert-Lewin in line for England recall?