Senegal Advances to AFCON Quarterfinals with 2-0 Win Over Sudan

Senegal Advances to Africa Cup of Nations Quarterfinals with 3-1 Win Over Sudan

In a match played in Tangier, Senegal defeated Sudan 3-1 to secure their spot in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals. The victory marked a significant milestone for the West African nation, which has been ranked 99 places higher than Sudan in the world rankings.

The match saw Pape Gueye score twice and Ibrahim Mbaye seal the win with four minutes remaining on the bench. Senegal’s comeback from an early deficit was led by Gueye’s goals, which gave them a 2-1 lead at halftime.

Sudan had taken an early lead through Aamir Abdallah in the sixth minute, but Senegal equalized shortly after. The match saw several key moments, including a superb goal by Abdallah and a brave save by Monged Abuzaid that prevented Nicolas Jackson from scoring.

Senegal made six changes to their starting lineup, with former captain Kalidou Koulibaly absent due to suspension. Ghana-born coach Kwesi Appiah retained only one player from the team that lost to Burkina Faso earlier in the tournament.

The match was played in front of Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe, who watched from South Africa. The result sets Senegal up for a quarterfinal matchup against either Mali or Tunisia, who will face off later on Saturday.

Senegal’s victory marks a notable achievement for the team, which has been affected by civil war in Sudan since April 2023. The match was the first between the two countries at an AFCON tournament and saw several players from both teams with international experience.

Source: Al Jazeera