MATCH FACTS: Senegal in must-win clash with DR Congo at TotalEnergies CAF U20 AFCON

Defending champions Senegal are on the brink of elimination and must win against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday to have any chance of progressing to the quarter-finals at the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (kick-off 18:00 local time / 15:00 GMT). 

DR Congo, meanwhile, need only a draw to advance. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two nations at the finals. Senegal are facing Central African opposition for the fourth time. They previously defeated Cameroon in 2017 and edged Congo 4-3 in 2015. In their current campaign, they drew 1-1 with DRC in their opening match.

DR Congo are also encountering West African opponents for the fourth time in the tournament’s history. They remain winless in their previous three such encounters (D1 L2), including a 1-1 draw with Ghana at the current tournament, and earlier losses to Mali (2-1) and Nigeria (3-1).

DR Congo have conceded six goals in three games against West African opposition but have scored in all of them. They are yet to keep a clean sheet in these fixtures.

Interestingly, both Senegal and DR Congo have faced just four shots across their first two games – only Nigeria (2) have faced fewer.

SENEGAL FACTS

• Defending champions Senegal have failed to win either of their opening two group matches for the first time since 2015, when they lost to Nigeria and drew with Côte d’Ivoire.
• If they fail to win this match, Senegal will go winless in the group stage for the third time (previously in 1993 and 1995).
• A loss would mark their first back-to-back defeats at the finals since 1993, when they fell to Ethiopia (3-1) and Morocco (2-1).
• Prior to their 1-0 defeat to Ghana, Senegal were unbeaten in 13 consecutive U-20 AFCON matches in open play (W11 D2).
• That defeat also ended a 12-match unbeaten run in group stage play (W9 D3), their first group stage loss since a 3-1 defeat to Nigeria in 2015.
• The loss to Ghana also broke their scoring streak in 12 straight matches. They had last failed to score in the 2017 final (2-0 loss to Zambia).
• It was only the fourth time in 21 U-20 AFCON group games that Senegal failed to score. The last goalless group match came in a 0-0 draw with Cameroon in 1995.
• Senegal have a shot conversion rate of just 3.57% - the third lowest in the tournament behind Zambia (3.23%) and Tanzania (0%).
• They have registered 11 shots on target in two games but managed only one goal.
• Historically, defending champions often struggle to qualify for the following tournament. Prior to Senegal’s qualification this year, five past champions – Egypt, Nigeria, Zambia, Mali, and Ghana – all failed to qualify past the first round after winning the previous edition. The last defending champion to qualify was Nigeria in 2013 (they reached the semi-finals). Ghana, champions in 2009, were eliminated in the group stage in 2011 without winning a game (D2 L1).

DR CONGO FACTS

• DR Congo earned their first win of the tournament with a 3-1 victory over Central African Republic.
• They drew 1-1 with Ghana in their opener and are unbeaten through two group games for the first time. In 2013, they opened with a 0-0 draw vs Gabon but then lost to Mali (2-1) and Nigeria (3-1).
• The win over the Central African Republic ended a four-game winless run at the finals (D2 L2).
• DR Congo have conceded in each of their last four U-20 AFCON matches. Their last clean sheet came in the 0-0 draw with Gabon in 2013.
• Samuel Ntanda Lukisa has scored in both group matches so far, becoming the first Congolese player to score in consecutive games in the current tournament format.
• DR Congo have netted four goals at the tournament and boast a 20% shot conversion rate – the second highest after the Central African Republic (25%).
• In the win over the Central African Republic, Noah Makanza scored a brace with both of his shots on target while Lukisa scored with his only shot on target.
• Makanza became the first DR Congo player to score twice in a group game at the finals.
• Landry Soko won eight duels – the most by any player in that match.