MOROCCO — Senegal came back from a goal down to see off Sudan 3-1 in Tanger on Saturday to advance to the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals, with Pape Gueye‘s double and Ibrahim Mbaye‘s second-half strike keeping the 2019 champions on track for a second continental crown.
Aamir Abdallah curled home a delightful opener in the opening minutes to give confident Sudan an unlikely lead, but Gueye equalised just before the half-hour mark, before adding another from the edge of the area in first-half stoppage time.
As was the case during the group stage, Senegal took their time to find their rhythm from the kickoff, and were duly punished by a hungry Sudan team buoyed by a first appearance in the AFCON knockouts since 2012.
Abdallah gave Sudan a shock lead in the sixth minute, picking the ball up on the edge of the box, as Senegal failed to clear their lines, before cutting inside and curling a perfectly weighted effort beyond Édouard Mendy and into the far corner of the Teranga Lions’ net.
They had two further opportunities inside the opening half an hour to extend their lead, with Abdallah again finding space down Senegal’s left after 25 minutes, only for his effort to be palmed away by Mendy.
As the half wore on, however, the Teranga Lions grew in confidence and menace as their opponents tired.
Nicolas Jackson had forced a fine save from Elneel Monged in the 28th minute as Senegal turned the screw, and moments later they were ahead, as Sadio Mané raced down the right flank and teed up Gueye, who swept beyond the Sudan keeper from the edge of the box.
Sudan increasingly became overran, with Monged bringing down Ismaïla Sarr in the box in the 34th minute. The referee initially pointing for a penalty, before an extended VAR review proved that the Crystal Palace wideman had been offside before advancing one on one with the stopper.
Then, 10 minutes later, a low Gueye effort from the outside of the area was saved excellently by Monged low to his right, with Abdoulaye Seck sending his header straight at the keeper from the resulting corner.
Senegal again had the ball in the back of the net during a frantic end to the half, with Sarr beating Monged with a shot to the centre of the keeper’s goal, although the attacker was promptly flagged for offside.
It would hardly matter moments later as, in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, the Lions were ahead; a Senegal counterattack broke down, but possession was salvaged by Jackson, who sent a ball back across box for Gueye, again arriving on the edge of the area, to finish beyond Monged.
With energy and belief deserting them, Sudan faded completely in the second half, lacking the dynamism and conviction that had marked their showing over the opening 25 minutes, while Senegal rang the changes as head coach Pape Thiaw sought to manage the closing stages of the contest and preserve his star players for the challenges to come.
Substitute Mbaye, whose arrival into the fray at the Stade Ibn-Batouta was greeted with warm celebration by the Senegal supporters, made sure of victory in the 77th minute.
Racing down the right flank in a searing Senegal counterattack, only three minutes after his entrance, the Paris Saint-Germain wonderkid held off his opponent, gathered himself, and sent a fine finish beyond Monged.
The 17-year-old could have had another two minutes later when he leapt unopposed to meet an excellent cross from the left by El Hadji Malick Diouf only to head over the bar from close range, before Krépin Diatta was forced into a last-gasp tackle to keep Sudan at bay after misjudging a header and allowing Al Gozoli Nooh to race through on goal.
The saving tackle came at a cost though, with Diatta colliding with goalkeeper Mendy before requiring treatment.
Senegal will remain in Tanger for next Friday’s quarterfinal.
