Pape Gueye scored twice as Senegal recovered from an early Aamir Abdallah goal to defeat Sudan 3-1 and secure their place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
Senegal advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after overcoming an early deficit to defeat Sudan 3-1.
Making their first-ever appearance in an AFCON knockout round, Sudan took a shock lead after just six minutes when Aamir Abdallah beat Edouard Mendy with a brilliant curling effort.
However, the “Lions of Teranga” responded before the interval, with Pape Gueye netting a clinical brace to turn the game in Senegal’s favor.
The comeback was orchestrated by veteran Sadio Mane and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr.
Mane’s assist for Gueye’s equalizer saw him become the most productive playmaker in the tournament’s history.
Sudan remained competitive early in the second half, forcing a spectacular save from Mendy via Sheddy Barglan, but they eventually faded. Senegal capitalized on their waning momentum, with 17-year-old PSG starlet Ibrahim Mbaye sealing the victory late on with a powerful near-post finish.
The result ends Sudan’s historic run, which saw them reach the Round of 16 despite a goal-shy group stage.
For Senegal, the victory reinforces their status as tournament favorites as they move into the final eight in Morocco.
While Sudan’s aggressive offensive approach initially rattled the favorites, the clinical finishing of Gueye and the record-breaking creativity of Mane ensured the defending champions avoided a major upset in the opening knockout stage.