Defending champions Senegal were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Congo Republic in their African Nations Championship Group D encounter at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, after a tense contest that saw both sides dominate in phases.

The match opened with a cautious pace, both sides probing for weaknesses. The first notable incident came in the 5th minute when Cissé was fouled in midfield and required treatment before returning to action. Congo earned an early corner, but Senegal’s defence stood firm.

Congo gradually grew into the game, earning another corner in the 10th minute and keeping play in Senegal’s half. The breakthrough came in the 15th minute: Atipo, marauding down the left flank, whipped in a powerful cross that found Dechan Moussavou unmarked inside the area. The striker made no mistake, firing home to give Congo a 1-0 lead.

Buoyed by the opener, Congo maintained the pressure. They won a free kick in the 20th minute which was cleared by Senegal’s defence, but the Congolese continued to look threatening in attack. Senegal, stung by the early setback, began to respond around the 25th minute, stringing passes together in the attacking half. Koité had a promising opportunity at the edge of the box in the 30th minute, but his shot was blocked.

Congo regained control in the next phase, pinning Senegal back and keeping possession high up the pitch. However, they failed to turn that dominance into clear chances. Senegal’s best spell before the break came after consecutive corners in the 35th minute, but goalkeeper Samba was alert to palm away a dangerous deflection before the defence cleared the second delivery.

The first half ended with drama as Ba burst into the box and unleashed a powerful strike that went narrowly wide. Seven minutes of stoppage time were added due to injuries, but Congo held their 1-0 advantage into the interval.

When the second half resumed, the tempo dropped noticeably. Both sides struggled to break down disciplined defensive lines, and the first clear chance came only in the 60th minute when Elenga, on a Congo counterattack, blazed over the crossbar.

The coaches turned to their benches to inject fresh energy. Between the 65th and 75th minutes, both sides made multiple changes. Senegal introduced Vieux, Seck, Fonseca, Ba, and Sarr, while Congo brought on Okana, Ekongo, Mossala, and Ngantsui. Still, the game remained scrappy, with Senegal attempting to dictate play through possession but struggling to breach Congo’s defence.

The breakthrough for the holders finally arrived in the 80th minute. Seck, operating on the right, powered into the box and sent a low cross to Joseph Layousse, who found himself unmarked. The forward struck with precision, sending the ball into the net to level the scores at 1-1.

Senegal pushed again after the equaliser, but the match’s intensity dropped once more. In the 90th minute, five minutes of stoppage time were announced. Congo replaced Andzouono with Mavoungou, while Layousse was booked for a heavy foul in midfield. Despite Senegal’s late efforts, no further goals came, and the spoils were shared.

The result leaves Group D finely poised, with Senegal showing resilience to avoid defeat and Congo proving they can challenge the best. Both sides will look to sharpen their finishing ahead of their next fixtures, knowing that every point is crucial in the race for a knockout berth.