Jackson scores two goals as Senegal defeat Botswana at AFCON

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Two goals successful 18 minutes from guardant Nicolas Jackson acceptable the code for Senegal’s Group D triumph implicit Botswana astatine AFCON 2025.

Published On 23 Dec 2025

Bayern Munich striker Nicolas Jackson grabbed a brace arsenic Senegal eased to a 3-0 triumph implicit Botswana successful the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) connected Tuesday.

Jackson, connected indebtedness astatine the Bundesliga giants from Chelsea, struck either broadside of halftime successful Tangier, with Cherif Ndiaye completing the scoring precocious on.

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The triumph took Senegal to the apical of the array successful Group D connected extremity difference, up of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who bushed Benin 1-0 successful Rabat earlier.

It was a predictable result to the archetypal lucifer of the tourney for some teams arsenic Senegal are 119 places supra Botswana successful the satellite rankings.

Senegal and DR Congo, some erstwhile champions, are expected to capable the apical 2 places and suffice for the circular of 16.

Benin and Botswana volition presumption their clash connected Saturday arsenic a must-win affair, giving imaginable victors a accidental to capable 1 of 4 places successful the knockout signifier reserved for third-placed teams.

Torrential rainfall greeted the teams arsenic they walked connected to the transportation astatine the 75,000-seat stadium, the biggest by capableness of the 9 being utilized successful Morocco for the tournament.

Senegal had a large accidental to instrumentality the pb wrong 3 minutes successful a one-on-one situation, but goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko blocked a Jackson shot.

Two-time African subordinate of the twelvemonth Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye and Jackson each came adjacent to breaking the deadlock arsenic the Teranga Lions dominated possession, portion the Zebras defended successful depth.

Botswana discarded chance

While Senegal and erstwhile Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was a specified spectator, Phoko was perpetually successful action, utilizing his hands, feet and legs to support the westbound Africans astatine bay.

But endless Senegalese unit yet reaped a reward connected 40 minutes erstwhile Germany-born Ismail Jakobs and Germany-based Jackson combined to enactment 1 of the rubric favourites ahead.

Jakobs chopped successful from the near and pulled the shot backmost to Jackson, who reacted instantly, utilizing his near ft to steer the shot wide of Phoko and into the net.

Botswana, who qualified astatine the disbursal of daze 2026 World Cup qualifiers Cape Verde, yet threatened to people successful added clip astatine the extremity of the opening half.

But they failed to instrumentality vantage of a escaped footwear conscionable extracurricular the area. A anemic changeable was deflected for a country that was overhit and went retired of play beyond the acold station without being touched.

A flowing determination from midfield with quick, crisp passing acceptable up Jackson to treble the pb aft 58 minutes.

When the shot was worked to him successful the box, the 24-year-old rounded Mosha Gaolaolwe and tapped home.

Cherif Ndiaye enactment the cherry connected the barroom for Senegal arsenic helium finished smartly astatine the extremity of different good squad determination successful the 90th minute.

Confident his squad were cruising to victory, Senegal manager Pape Thiaw introduced 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye from European champions Paris Saint-Germain midway done the 2nd half.

The teenage striker past period became the youngest Senegalese scorer successful an planetary erstwhile helium netted successful a 8-0 rout of Kenya successful an AFCON warm-up match.

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