DR Congo have been sent packing from the 2022 African Nations Championship after suffering a 3-0 loss to Senegal and finished last in Group B as a consequence.
The Leopards played out goalless draws against Uganda and Ivory Coast in their first two games and needed maximum points to have any hopes of making it to the quarter-finals.
A 23rd-minute goal from Senegal’s Ousmane Diouf and a red card to Congo’s Kevin Mundeko meant it was going to be a long Sunday night for the Central Africans at the May 19th Stadium.
The Teranga Lions increased their lead in the second-half through Pape Diallo and Baggio Siadi’s own goal.
Job done for 🇨🇮 and 🇸🇳
Sunday’s full results 🔢#TotalEnergiesCHAN2022 pic.twitter.com/ARyqto1c5c
— MARHABA (@CAF_Online) January 23, 2023
It is the very first time in CHAN history, DR Congo failed to make it out of the group phase having previously reached the quarter-finals in all of their previous participations.
Senegal, on the other hand, finished top of the group with six points and will be joined by the Ivory Coast who defeated Uganda 3-1 in the other Group B game played simultaneously.
The Elephants – who had their goals come from a Karamoko Sankara brace and a Aubin Kramo strike – pulled through by virtue of having a better goal difference than the Ugandans as both teams were tied on four points.
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🇨🇮
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🇨🇩Here’s how group 🅱️ stand after matchday 3️⃣#TotalEnergiesCHAN2022 pic.twitter.com/j0VLFQguA6
— MARHABA (@CAF_Online) January 23, 2023
It makes it just the second time the Ivorians qualified from the group stage at CHAN, the only other occasion coming in the 2016 edition where they finished third in Rwanda.
