RABAT, Morocco (AP) – Sadio Mane guided Senegal to the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations with a 3-1 win over Sudan in Tangier on Saturday.
The 2019 and 2022 African Player of the Year led by example, chasing and rushing to set up goals and chances in the absence of his teammates. Captain Kalidou Koulibaly suspended.
Mane set up midfielder Pape Gueye’s first two goals and substitute Ibrahim Mbaye’s goal sealed the victory, sending 2021 champions Lions of Teranga into the quarter-finals against Mali or Tunisia, who will then play in Casablanca.
“We had to dig deep,” said Senegal coach Pape Thiau, whose team faced an early setback.
Amir Abdallah scored Sudan’s first goal in the sixth minute, surprising the title favorites.
This was the first and last goal the Sudanese player scored in the tournament. Falcons of the Jedi defeated Equatorial Guinea in the group stage thanks to an own goal.
The Sudanese played all their qualifying matches away from home as the country battled brutal war and humanitarian crisisstarted the match against Senegal with confidence and did not hesitate to pursue his next chance.
“I think the Sudanese people know that we come to this tournament and represent them with pride,” said Sudanese coach James Kwesi Appiah.
Senegal was too difficult.
Ismaila Sarr twice drew saves from Sudanese keeper Monged El Nir and Mane missed his next chance, but El Nir again made saves from Mohamed Eissa, Gueye and Nicholas Jackson before Mane set up Gueye to score in the 29th.
Senegal continued to push and Gueye scored his second goal before the break, this time set up by Jackson.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy then denied Sudan’s equalizing goal, but Senegal regained the upper hand.
Mbaye, 19, came on as a substitute in the 74th minute and Mane set up the youngster to score three minutes later on the break.
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Associated Press on Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations
