Pape Alassane Gueye of Senegal celebrates goal during 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Last 16 match between Senegal and Sudan on the 03 January 2026 at Grand Stadium Tangier in Tangier ©Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Saturday Jan 03, 2026. 19:56
Senegal showed their fighting spirit after they recovered from an early setback to beat Sudan 3-1 at the Tangier Grand Stadium on Saturday to progress to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
It wasn’t a vintage performance by Pape Thiaw’s side as they had to battle back from behind after Aamir Abdallah gave the Falcons of Jediane a shock lead in the sixth minute.
The Lions of Teranga replied twice through Pape Gueye before the break and 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye stepped off the bench to seal the comeback win 13 minutes from time.
Sudan hadn’t scored in any of their previous five meetings, but got off to a dream start in Tangier when Abdallah collected a pass from Walieldin Khedr outside the area and sent a shot arcing over Edouard Mendy into the top left corner of the net on six minutes.
Senegal looked to respond quickly and Sadio Mane advanced into the box from the left before unleashing a low strike that was well saved by Munjed Alnil in the ninth minute.
Krepin Diatta also tested Alnil from a direct free-kick three minutes later, while Mohamed Eisa threatened to double the Falcons of Jediane’s lead on 25 minutes with an effort from an acute angle that was kept out by Mendy.
However, the West Africans hit back just four minutes later through Gueye, who rifled a shot into the bottom right corner of the net after being picked out by Mane on the edge of the box.
Worse was to follow for Kwesi Appiah’s side after they conceded again just before half-time and it was that man Gueye who scored once more, curling the ball beyond Alnil after being fed by Nicolas Jackson on the edge of the area.
Sudan nearly restored parity just three minutes into the second half after an unmarked Abdallah forced Mendy into a fine save with a low shot before Boulaye Dia squandered a gilt-edged chance to extend Senegal’s lead on 63 minutes when he blazed over from close range.
But their third goal did eventually arrive on 77 minutes as teenager Mbaye announced his arrival in Morocco with a superb finish after being played in by Mane and creating a yard for himself inside the box.
Senegal (2) 3 (P. Gueye 29′, 45+3′, Mbaye 77′)
Sudan (1) 1 (Abdallah 6′)