AFCON 2025: Jackson’s Brace Powers Senegal to Dominant 3-0 Win Over Botswana
Defending champions Senegal began their quest for a second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations title in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 3-0 victory over Botswana in their opening Group match of AFCON 2025.
A clinical brace from Bayern Munich striker Nicolas Jackson underlined Senegal’s attacking strength and set the tone for what could be another formidable tournament run for the Lions of Teranga.
From the opening whistle, Senegal asserted their authority, dominating possession and pinning Botswana deep in their own half. The West Africans combined pace, physicality, and tactical discipline, forcing the Zebras to focus largely on defending rather than building attacks of their own.
Senegal’s early pressure paid off midway through the first half when Jackson opened the scoring. The forward showed excellent positioning and composure inside the box, finishing confidently to give his side a deserved lead.
The goal further settled Senegal, who continued to dictate the rhythm of the game and limit Botswana’s attacking opportunities.
After the break, Senegal returned with renewed intensity and quickly doubled their advantage. Jackson struck again in the second half, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to register his second goal of the night.
The brace highlighted the striker’s sharp form and growing importance to the national team, as well as Senegal’s depth and quality in attack.
Despite occasional resistance from Botswana, Senegal’s defence remained solid and well-organized, denying the Southern Africans any clear-cut chances. Head coach Aliou Cissé took advantage of the comfortable scoreline to rotate his squad, introducing fresh legs to maintain the tempo.
One of those substitutions proved decisive late in the match, as Ndiaye came off the bench to seal the victory.
The substitute made no mistake from close range, tapping in Senegal’s third goal to cap off a dominant all-round performance and put the result beyond doubt.
The comprehensive win sees Senegal make a strong statement in their group and reinforces their status as one of the favourites for the title.
With confidence high and momentum on their side, the Lions of Teranga will now look ahead to their next fixture aiming to build on this impressive start.
For Botswana, the defeat serves as a tough introduction to the tournament. While they showed resilience at times, they were ultimately outclassed by the reigning champions.
The Zebras will need to regroup quickly and improve their attacking output as they prepare for their remaining group matches, where points will be crucial to keep their AFCON 2025 hopes alive.
