Senegal recovered from an early scare to secure a 3–1 victory over Sudan in Tangier, booking their place in the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after an entertaining last-16 encounter.
An early goal from Sudan’s Aamir Abdallah briefly stunned the former champions, but Senegal responded with authority. Midfielder Pape Gueye struck twice in the first half, before teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye sealed the result late on, just minutes after coming off the bench.
The win sends Senegal through to the quarterfinals, where they will face either Mali or Tunisia, who meet later in Casablanca, according to the official AFCON knockout stage schedule published by CAF.
Despite the upset start, the outcome followed expectations. Senegal entered the match as clear favourites, sitting nearly 100 places above Sudan in the FIFA world rankings, and boasting far greater tournament pedigree.
Sudan, representing a country gripped by civil war since April 2023, shocked their opponents when Abdallah curled a fine finish over goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in the sixth minute. The striker, who plays semi-professionally in Australia, produced one of the standout goals of the tournament.
Senegal, however, gradually imposed themselves. Former African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mané played a key role in the comeback, setting up Gueye for the equaliser before the Villarreal midfielder struck again in first-half stoppage time to give his side control.
The West Africans continued to dominate after the break, with Sudan goalkeeper Monged Abuzaid repeatedly called into action. Senegal thought they had extended their lead through Ismaila Sarr, but the effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye latched onto a long pass and finished confidently at the near post. The Paris Saint-Germain forward, who previously represented France at youth level, marked his AFCON debut with a goal that put the contest beyond doubt.
The match was watched by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, as Senegal underlined their credentials as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders.
Sudan’s journey, meanwhile, ends with pride. Having failed to score in the group stage and qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams, their spirited performance against a heavyweight opponent earned respect across the continent.
Further analysis of the match and Senegal’s progression has been covered by BBC Sport Africa, as the tournament moves deeper into its knockout phase.
