Botswana vs DR Congo Player Ratings as Gaël Kakuta Brace Inspires Comfortable 3-0 AFCON Win

DR Congo absolutely thrashed a helpless Botswana side in this AFCON clash. The final score of 3-0 honestly flatters Botswana; it could have been much worse. From the first whistle, the Leopards were on the prowl. Their intent was clear.

From our perspective, the game was won in the midfield. DR Congo's creative players, especially the magnificent Gaël Kakuta, ran riot. They sliced through the Botswana lines with ease. The goals were a testament to their dominance. Nathanaël Mbuku opened the scoring with a cool finish, before Kakuta took over the show. He buried a penalty and then added a poacher's finish in the second half.

Botswana simply had no answer. They looked overwhelmed and struggled to string passes together under the relentless pressure. It was a tough watch for their fans. This was a statement win for DR Congo in this important match, and they look like a serious contender moving forward. Here are Sportsdunia's Botswana vs DR Congo player ratings.

Gaël Kakuta Runs the Show With Brace and Assist in DR Congo Player Ratings

Goalkeeper

Lionel Mpasi-Nzau - 6.5: Honestly, he could have brought a book to read. He had one save to make all game, which he handled without any fuss. His distribution was clean, boasting an 86% pass accuracy. It was a quiet, comfortable evening for the keeper, exactly what you want in a dominant win.

Defenders

Joris Kayembe - 8.0: What an engine on this guy. He was a constant threat down the left flank. We noticed he won 7 of his 11 duels and completed all three of his attempted dribbles. He even created three chances, showing his attacking prowess. A brilliant, all-action display from the fullback.

Rocky Bushiri - 7.0: A solid and reliable performance at the back. He was a wall, boasting an incredible 98% pass completion rate. He made four crucial clearances and was a commanding presence. A little clumsy with three fouls committed, but otherwise a very strong showing. He just kept things simple and effective.

Chancel Mbemba - 7.0: The captain led by example with a calm and composed performance. He marshaled the backline effectively, making four clearances. From our perspective, he didn't need to do anything spectacular, he just did his job perfectly. His leadership was evident throughout the game.

Gédéon Kalulu - 7.5: He was everywhere. With 80 touches and nine ball recoveries, his work rate was immense. He did lose the ball 17 times which is a bit high, but his positive contributions far outweighed the negatives. He was a constant outlet on the right and defended stoutly. A very energetic performance.

Midfielders

Ngal'ayel Mukau - 8.0: The metronome in midfield. An astonishing 97% pass accuracy tells you everything about his control and composure. He won 6 duels and made two key interceptions, breaking up play effortlessly. It felt like he was always in the right place at the right time. A truly impressive performance.

Nathanaël Mbuku - 8.0: He was on fire before his substitution. He opened the scoring with a clinical finish and was a livewire throughout. Creating three chances in just 57 minutes shows how influential he was. We were actually disappointed to see him go off, he was having a great game.

Gaël Kakuta - 9.5: Simply unplayable. The clear Man of the Match. He scored two goals, one from the spot and a classic poacher's finish, and also grabbed an assist. Every time he got the ball, you felt something was going to happen. He was the architect of this victory. A masterclass performance.

Meschack Elia - 6.5: A frustrating evening for him. He was very active but his final product was lacking. We noticed his crossing was particularly poor, with only 1 of 8 finding its target. He missed a big chance and just couldn't make the right decision in the final third.

Charles Pickel - 7.0: A bundle of energy in the middle. He had four shots, though all were off target, which was a shame because his positioning was good. He worked tirelessly for the team, winning his tackles and contributing to the midfield dominance. A solid, if not spectacular, outing.

Forwards

Fiston Mayele - 6.0: It just wasn't his night. He was isolated and battled hard but won only one of his nine duels. He even had a goal correctly disallowed by VAR for a handball. You could see his frustration building throughout the match. He worked hard but had very little to show for it.

Substitutes

Théo Bongonda - N/A: Came on and looked lively, had a few shots but couldn't find the target.

Michel-Ange Balikwisha - N/A: Showed some nice touches and tried to create, but the game was already won.

Samuel Essende - N/A: A late cameo to see out the comfortable win.

Noah Sadiki - N/A: Brought on to provide fresh legs in midfield and keep control.

Brian Cipenga - N/A: Barely had time to make an impact.

Manager

S. Desabre - 9.0: His tactics were spot on. He set his team up to attack from the get-go and they executed his plan perfectly. The team looked well-drilled, confident, and ruthless. A fantastic day at the office for the manager.

Thabo Leinanyane Concedes Costly Penalty in Botswana Player Ratings

Goalkeeper

Goitseone Phoko - 6.0: It’s tough to rate a keeper who conceded three, but he wasn't directly at fault for the goals. He made a couple of decent saves to prevent an even bigger defeat. He was let down by the defence in front of him. A difficult and very busy night for Phoko.

Defenders

Thabo Leinanyane - 5.0: A night to forget. He was completely out of his depth. What stood out to us was the clumsy challenge that gave away the penalty for the second goal. He was dribbled past twice and struggled to cope with the pace of Congo DR's attack. A really poor performance.

Thatayaone Ditlhokwe - 5.5: The captain was hooked at halftime, which says it all. The team was already 2-0 down and he looked lost at sea. He struggled to organize the backline against the relentless pressure. Not the performance you want from your leader.

Mosha Gaolaolwe - 7.0: The only bright spark in Botswana's defence. It sounds crazy to give a 7 to a defender in a 3-0 loss, but he was immense. He made a staggering 10 clearances and won 100% of his duels. He fought a lone battle against the Congolese attack and deserves immense credit.

Mothusi Johnson - 5.5: He was run ragged. He lost possession 16 times and was dribbled past with ease. While he did make four interceptions, he was a defensive liability for most of the game. He tried his best but was simply outclassed.

Midfielders

Gape Edwin Mohutsiwa - 5.5: Completely anonymous in the midfield battle. He was overrun and offered no protection to his defence. His passing stats look okay, but he had no impact on the game whatsoever before being substituted.

Kabelo Seakanyeng - 5.5: Another player who just couldn't get into the game. He lost 7 out of his 10 duels, which shows how he was dominated physically. Substituted early in the second half after an ineffective display.

Segolame Boy - 6.0: He showed some fight, winning all four of his duels. However, he provided little to no attacking threat and was often bypassed in midfield. He worked hard but it was a thankless task.

Mothusi Cooper - 5.5: Battled hard but was ultimately overwhelmed. He lost five of his eight duels and was a passenger for large parts of the game. It felt like the game just passed him by.

Gilbert Baruti - 5.5: A very quiet 71 minutes. He had one shot off target and contributed little else. From our perspective, he seemed unsure of his role and failed to impose himself on the match.

Forwards

Thabang Sesinyi - 6.0: He was completely isolated up front. What we can say is he never stopped working, winning a respectable 7 duels and making three tackles. But as a forward, he offered almost no goal threat. A frustrating and lonely night's work.

Substitutes

Tebogo Kopelang - N/A: Came on at halftime but couldn't change the tide.

Tumisang Orebonye - N/A: Added some energy but had little service.

Chicco Molefe - N/A: Tried to get involved but the game was already lost.

Monty Enosa - N/A: A late sub with no real impact.

Godiraone Modingwane - N/A: Brought on when the team was in damage control mode.

Manager

M. Ramoreboli - 5.0: His team looked unprepared and tactically naive. They had no plan to counter Congo DR's attacking threats and were second best in every department. He failed to make any impactful changes to alter the course of the game. A very tough day for him.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Gaël Kakuta