Senegal Overcome Early Deficit to Eliminate Sudan in Thrilling AFCON R16 Turnaround
The Grand Stade de Tanger witnessed a masterclass as Senegal recovered from a shock early deficit to defeat Sudan 3–1, securing their place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. While the Sudanese side initially threatened to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history, the technical superiority of the Lions of Teranga eventually told, spearheaded by a brilliant first-half double from midfielder Pape Gueye.
The evening began in nightmare fashion for the 2021 champions. With less than ten minutes on the clock, Sudan took a sensational lead through Aamir Abdallah. After a period of high-pressing play that rattled the Senegalese backline, Abdallah found space on the edge of the area and curled a magnificent strike into the top corner. The goal silenced the Senegalese supporters and left Pape Thiaw’s side chasing the game against a Sudanese team that appeared inspired by the underdog narrative.
However, the panic that might have gripped a lesser team never surfaced for Senegal. Instead, they began to dominate the midfield battle, with Pape Gueye emerging as the orchestrator of their comeback. In the 29th minute, Gueye found the equalizer by finishing a sweeping team move, latching onto a pass from Sadio Mané and slotting the ball home. Just before the halftime whistle, Gueye struck again, this time showing incredible technique to curl a first-time effort into the side netting from a Nicolas Jackson cutback.
The second half was a more controlled affair as Senegal looked to manage their lead. Sudan fought valiantly to find a way back into the contest, forcing Edouard Mendy into a pair of crucial saves, but the gap in quality became increasingly evident as the game progressed. The victory was finally sealed in the 77th minute by teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye. The 17-year-old PSG winger displayed veteran-like composure to fire a powerful shot past the Sudanese goalkeeper, officially ending any hopes of a comeback and cementing Senegal’s status as the favorites to lift the trophy.
