Botswana vs DR Congo prediction, H2H and probable lineups - December 30, 2025
On Tuesday, December 30, in the third round of the Africa Cup of Nations, Botswana will face off against DR Congo. Read on for an in-depth look at both teams’ form and our match prediction.
Match preview
Botswana heads into this match with no chance of advancing from the group. The team suffered defeats in their opening two fixtures and can no longer catch up with Benin, Senegal, or DR Congo. Theoretically, Botswana could equal Benin on points, but head-to-head results are the decisive tiebreaker at the Africa Cup of Nations—and in the previous round, Botswana lost to Benin 0-1.
So far in the tournament, Botswana has yet to score a single goal. They opened with a 0-3 loss to Senegal—a margin that could have been even wider if not for some heroics from goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko, who was without question the standout performer in that match, making several crucial saves. In the second round, Botswana suffered a narrow defeat to Benin. Now, they're set for what is essentially a match for pride. The team will be eager to finish the tournament on a high note and improve upon their only previous Africa Cup of Nations appearance in 2012, when they failed to earn a single point in a group featuring Ghana, Mali, and Guinea.
DR Congo, on the other hand, has already secured a place in the knockout stage with four points—enough to guarantee their progression. The only question for the “Leopards” is their final position in the group: they could finish first, second, or third. This is a crucial detail, as their final ranking will determine the strength of their opponent in the round of 16: the group winner will face a more favorable matchup, second place will take on Algeria, and third place could mean an even tougher draw.
This year, DR Congo is aiming to at least replicate their result from the previous Africa Cup of Nations, when they finished fourth, losing to South Africa in the third-place match only on penalties. Historically, the “Leopards” have achieved even greater things in the tournament, including lifting the trophy as champions.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Botswana are winless in their last nine matches.
- Botswana have conceded first in five of their last seven matches.
- DR Congo are unbeaten in their last seven matches.
- There have been fewer than three goals scored in each of DR Congo’s last seven matches.
- These teams have met just twice before, with the head-to-head record perfectly balanced: one win apiece.
Probable lineups
- Botswana: Phoko - Velaphi, Gaolaolwe, Ditlhokwe, Johnson - Cooper, Mohutsiwa, Orebonye - Ratshukudu, Seakanyeng, Sesinyi
- DR Congo: M'Pasi - Wan-Bissaka, Mbemba, Tuanzebe, Kayembe - Moutoussamy, Mukau, Sadiki - Bongonda, Elia, Bakambu
Prediction
I expect this match to be a low-scoring affair. DR Congo have only netted twice in the tournament so far, while Botswana have yet to find the back of the net. Even though the “Leopards” are likely to attack aggressively, Botswana’s goalkeeper could once again rise to the occasion. The logical prediction here is a bet on under 2.5 goals.
