Article by Dragoș Petrescu – Published on Saturday, 03 January 2026, 20:57 / Updated on Saturday, 03 January 2026 20:58
Senegal passed by Sudanscore 3-1, in the round of 16 of the 2025/26 African Cup of Nations, and is the first country to qualify for the “quarters” of the competition.
-
In the quarter-finals, Senegal will face the winner of the match between Mali and Tunisia.
The complete program of the eight finals at CAN 2025/26
Sadio Mane and Nicolas Jackson's team continues their near-perfect run from the current edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
After two wins (3-0 with both Botswana and Benin) and a draw (1-1 with DR Congo) in the group stage, Senegal ticked off another positive result, this time in the knockout stages, 3-1 with the first representative of Sudan, thus obtaining the tickets for the quarter-finals of the competition.
Senegal prevailed without emotions against Sudan and is the first country to qualify for the “quarters” at the CAN
The obvious “outsider” in the duel in Tangier, Sudan started the game bravely and managed to surprise Mane and his colleagues.
Aamir Abdallah opened the scoring after just six minutes from the opening whistle, but then the attacking force of the Senegalese had their say.
Until the break, Pape Thiaw's students took the lead, thanks to the “double” of Pape Gueye, a player in Spain at Villarreal, who scored in the 29th and 45th+3 minutes, respectively. The assists belonged to the most famous Senegalese players at the moment, namely Sadio Mane and Nicolas Jackson.
The final score of the game was decided in the second act, precisely in the 77th minute, the goal bearing the signature of the new entrant Ibrahim Mbaye, a striker of only 17 years who wears the shirt of PSG. As with the first success of the winning country, the man with the “assist” was Mane.
Sadio Mane has 123 games and 52 goals for the Senegal national team, being his country's “all-time” top scorer // PHOTO: Imago Images
Following this result, Senegal qualified for the quarter-finals, where they will play the winner between Mali and Tunisia, a match that will take place today, January 3, 2025, from 22:00.
Senegal – Sudan » Starting teams:
SENEGAL (4-4-2): Mendy – Diatta, Seck, Niakhate, Jakobs – Diarra, I. Gueye, P. Gueye – Sarr, Jackson, Mane
reserves: Diaw, Y. Diouf – Camara, Ciss, Dia, Diallo, M. Diouf, Mbaye, Mendy, C. Ndiaye, I. Ndiaye, Niang, Sabaly, M. Sarr, PM Sarr
coach: Pope Thiaw
SUDAN (4-3-3): Elneel – Barglan, Ahmed, Karshom, Khamis – Taifour, Abuaagla, Khidir – Abdallah, Eisa, Abdelrahman
reserves: Abooja, Ali – Abaker, Alhassan, Awad, Hakeem, Manan, Mano, Mohamedein, Mozamil, Nooh, Omer, Tia Asad, Zaid
coach: James Kwesi Appiah
Stadium: Stade Ibn Batouta (Tangier)
Referee: Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
