Senegal and Congo get big wins at Africa Cup while Tanzania and Tunisia squeeze into knockout stage

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Senegal and Congo served notice of their intent with convincing wins at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday, when Tanzania and Tunisia grabbed the last places in the knockout stage.

Senegal, the 2021 champion, survived Kalidou Koulibaly’s sending off on his 100th appearance for the team by routing Benin 3-0 in Group D in Tangier. Congo finished second in the group on goal difference with a 3-0 win over already eliminated Botswana in Rabat.

Senegal, Congo and Benin were already assured of their places in the last 16.

But Tanzania and Tunisia were not. They progressed from Group C by playing out a 1-1 draw that eliminated Angola.

Feisal Salum’s goal for Tanzania, which canceled out Ismaël Gharbi’s penalty, sent the Taifa Stars to the last 16 as one of the six groups’ best third-place finishers.

Angola, which finished third in Group B, had been hoping for a favor from Tunisia to beat Tanzania and another from Nigeria, which complied by defeating Uganda 3-1.

But Tanzania’s goal proved the difference. Both Tanzania and Angola finished with two points and a goal difference of minus 1. Salum’s goal meant the Taifa Stars had scored more in the group stage (Tanzania's three goals vs. Angola’s two), meaning they go through to the next round.

“I hope this will be a reminder to these players and the next generation of players on the potential of Tanzanian football,” Taifa Stars coach Miguel Gamondi said.

Tunisia advances as Group C runner-up, but it wasn’t enough to appease its fans, who whistled the team after supporting it in the rain in Rabat.

“We may not have played the best way possible, but we are very happy to have qualified,” Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi said.

With his team already assured of top spot, Nigeria coach Eric Chelle opted to rest many of his regulars including Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Bright Osayi-Samuel. Victor Osimhen played from the start.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru crossed for Paul Onuachu to score with a simple finish in the 28th, and Uganda’s slim hopes were effectively ended early in the second half. Goalkeeper Denis Onyango was unable to resume after the break, and his replacement Salim Magoola was sent off in the 50th for handling the ball outside the penalty area. Magoola couldn’t resist stopping a shot from Osimhen.

Uganda’s third-choice goalkeeper Nafian Alionzi soon conceded when Raphael Onyedika shot the ball between his legs for 2-0 in the 62nd, five minutes before Onyedika got another goal.

Rogers Mato restored some Ugandan pride in the 75th with a fine chip over Francis Uzoho in the Nigeria goal.

Senegal's big win over Benin ensured it will stay in Tangier for its first knockout game on Saturday against a third-place finisher from Groups B, E or F.

But the 2021 champion will be without the suspended Koulibaly.

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw warned his team will have “no room for errors” in the knockout stage.

"We will use the next few days to address these problems,” Thiaw said.

Nigeria will stay in Fez for a game against a third-place finisher on Jan. 5.

Congo next faces Algeria in Rabat on Jan. 6. The Leopards can get a good look at their opponents Wednesday, when Algeria plays Equatorial Guinea in their final group game.

Tunisia will play Mali in Casablanca on Saturday.

Benin and the other third-place finishers will face matches against group winners.

AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

Senegal supportes cheer during the Africa Cup of Nations group D soccer match between Benin and Senegal in Tangier, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Senegal's Abdoulaye Seck celebrates his goal during the Africa Cup of Nations group D soccer match between Benin and Senegal in Tangier, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Senegal's Abdoulaye Seck, right, celebrate his goal with his teammates during the Africa Cup of Nations group D soccer match between Benin and Senegal in Tangier, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Senegal's Sadio Mane gestures during the Africa Cup of Nations group D soccer match between Benin and Senegal in Tangier, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly is shown a red card during the Africa Cup of Nations group D soccer match between Benin and Senegal in Tangier, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

A senegalese fan cheers during the Africa Cup of Nations group D soccer match between Benin and Senegal in Tangier, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Tanzania's Haji Mnoga, left, and Tunisia's Ali Abdi compete for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Tanzania's players pose before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Tanzania's Simon Msuva controls the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

NEW YORK (AP) — Kamala Harris “wrote off rural America" during the 2024 presidential campaign and failed to attack Donald Trump with sufficient “negative firepower," according to a long-awaited post-election autopsy released on Thursday by the Democratic National Committee.

The committee's chair, Ken Martin, shared the 192-page report only after facing intense internal pressure from frustrated Democratic operatives concerned with his leadership. Martin had originally promised to release the autopsy, only to keep it under wraps for months because he was concerned it would be a distraction ahead of the midterms as Democrats mobilize to take back control of Congress.

On Tuesday, Martin apologized for his handling of the situation and conceded that the report was withheld because it “was not ready for primetime."

Although the autopsy criticizes Democrats' focus on “identity politics,” it sidesteps some of the most controversial elements of the 2024 campaign. The report does not address former President Joe Biden’s decision to seek reelection, the rushed selection of Harris to replace him on the ticket or the party's acrimonious divide over the war in Gaza.

“I am not proud of this product; it does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards,” Martin wrote in an essay on Substack on Thursday. “I don’t endorse what’s in this report, or what’s left out of it. I could not in good faith put the DNC’s stamp of approval on it. But transparency is paramount.”

A spokesperson for Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The initial reaction from Democratic operatives was a mix of bafflement and anger over Martin's handling of the situation.

“Why not say this in 2024, or bring in more people to finish it, instead of turning this into the dumbest media cycle for 7-8 months?” Democratic strategist Steve Schale wrote on social media.

The postelection report, which was authored by Democratic consultant Paul Rivera, calls for “a renewed focus on the voters of Middle America and the South, who have come to believe they are not included in the Democratic vision of a stronger and more dynamic America for everyone.”

“Millions of Americans are suffering from poor access to healthcare, manufacturing and job losses, and a failing infrastructure, yet continue to be persuaded to vote against their best interests because they do not see themselves reflected in the America of the Democratic Party,” the report says.

The autopsy points to a reduction in support and training for Democratic state parties, voter registration shifts and “a persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters.”

Thursday's release comes as Martin confronts a crisis of confidence among party officials who are increasingly concerned about the health of their political machine barely a year into his term. Some Democratic operatives have had informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, even though most believe that Martin’s job wasn't in serious jeopardy ahead of the midterm elections.

The report found that Harris and her allies failed to focus enough on Trump's negatives, especially his felony convictions. This was part of a broader criticism that Democrats' messaging is too focused on reason and winning arguments, “even in cycles when the electorate is defined by rage.”

“There was a decision in the 2024 Democratic leadership not to engage in negative advertising at the scale required,” the report states. “The Trump campaign and supportive Super PACs went full throttle against Vice President Harris, but there was not sufficient or similar negative firepower directed at Trump by Democrats.”

The report continues: “It was essential to prosecute a more effective case as to why Trump should have been disqualified from ever again taking office. The grounds were there, but the messaging did not make the case.”

Trump's attack on Harris' transgender policies were cited as a key contrast.

Specifically, the report suggested the Democratic nominee was “boxed” in by the Trump campaign's “very effective” ad that highlighted Harris' previous statement of support for taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgeries for prison inmates.

Democratic pollsters believed that “if the Vice President would not change her position – and she did not – then there was nothing which would have worked as a response," the report said.

The report criticized Harris' outreach to key segments of America while condemning the party's focus on “identity politics.”

“Harris wrote off rural America, assuming urban/suburban margins would compensate. The math doesn’t work,” the report says. “You can’t lose rural areas by overwhelming margins and make it up elsewhere when rural voters are a significant share of the electorate. If Democrats are to reclaim leadership in the Heartland or the South, candidates must perform well in rural turf. Show up, listen, and then do it again.”

The report also references Democrats' underperformance with male voters of color.

“Male voters require direct engagement. The gender gap can be narrowed. Deploy male messengers, address economic concerns, and don’t assume identity politics will hold male voters of color,” it says.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event about loosening a federal refrigerant rule, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a fireside chat on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

FILE - Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at DNC headquarters, Jan. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert, File)