Gaël Kakuta wasn't even supposed to start. A late call-up following Mario Stroeykens' injury, the 34-year-old had spent most of AFCON 2025 watching from the bench. Then Tuesday happened.
Two goals. One assist. Man of the match. And DR Congo are through to face Algeria in what promises to be one of the fiercest Round of 16 ties Morocco will witness.
A masterclass built on instinct
The first sign that something special was brewing came in the 31st minute. Kakuta received the ball with his back to goal and, instead of turning, produced an audacious backheel that split the Botswana defence wide open. Nathanael Mbuku ran onto it and finished with a stretched effort. The Al Madina Stadium erupted.
Minutes before the break, VAR spotted Thabo Leinanyane's handball inside the box. Kakuta stepped up and buried the penalty—cool, precise, unbothered by the occasion.
His brace was complete on the hour mark. Theo Bongonda's cross found him inside the area, and the former Chelsea man cushioned the ball before calmly picking his spot. 3-0. Game over.
"All glory be to God"
Kakuta's post-match words were as humble as his performance was brilliant.
"I wasn't supposed to be in the starting 11, and here I am being named Man of the Match," he told CAFOnline. "I would like to highlight our collective strength. Today, we had many changes, but we stayed the course."
His teammates echoed the sentiment. "Gaël is Gaël," striker Samuel Essende said after the match. "He showed at training what he can do, and today he demonstrated to everyone that he's still there."
It's a remarkable story. Kakuta—born in Lille, developed at Chelsea, bounced across Europe through loans and transfers—finally finding his moment on the biggest African stage at 34. He now plays in Turkey's second division with Sakaryaspor, far from the spotlight. But class, it turns out, doesn't fade.
Desabre's calculated gamble pays off
Sébastien Desabre made wholesale changes for this match, resting key players ahead of a punishing knockout schedule. It could have backfired. Instead, it revealed depth that few expected.
"We wanted a fourth goal to maybe force a drawing of lots, and we wanted to score as many goals as possible to try to win the group," the coach admitted. "It wasn't to be, but I'm not disappointed. I'm proud. We have achieved the objective of reaching the last 16."
Fiston Mayele thought he'd added that fourth goal, but VAR intervened again—this time ruling out his header for handball. The Leopards finished second in Group D on goal difference, just two goals behind Senegal.
Algeria awaits
The reward for DR Congo's group-stage dominance is a clash with Riyad Mahrez and Algeria on January 6 in Rabat. If they navigate that, Nigeria could be waiting in the quarters.
The path is brutal. But with Kakuta rediscovering his magic, and Desabre's squad proving its resilience, the Leopards have every reason to believe.
This was more than just a 3-0 win over already-eliminated Botswana. It was a statement: DR Congo are here to compete, not just to participate.
And Kakuta? The man who wasn't supposed to start might just be the one who leads them deeper than anyone imagined.