Reigning 2021 champions Senegal kicked off the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 Round of 16 with a hard-fought 3-1 comeback victory over underdogs Sudan at the Ibn Batouta Stadium on Saturday.
Sudan stunned the pre-match favorites with a dream start, as Aamir Abdallah curled a brilliant effort into the far corner just six minutes in, silencing the Senegalese supporters and giving the war-torn nation’s Falcons of Jediane hope of a historic upset.
However, the Lions of Teranga responded with authority. Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye proved the hero, leveling the score with a composed finish from the edge of the box before halftime and then adding a second in first-half stoppage time to turn the tie on its head.
Substitute Ibrahim Mbaye sealed the win in the 77th minute, powering home a clinical strike to send Senegal into the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of Saturday’s later clash between Mali and Tunisia.
Despite the defeat, Sudan’s spirited performance – their first knockout appearance in over a decade – earned widespread praise, highlighting the resilience of a team that qualified amid ongoing conflict back home.
The knockout stage continues later today with Mali taking on Tunisia in Casablanca, before hosts Morocco face Tanzania and South Africa meet Cameroon on Sunday. The tournament, hosted across Morocco until the January 18 final, is heating up as the continent’s heavyweights assert their credentials.