CHAN 2022: Buoyant Senegal Retire Congo

Sunday was the end of an era for Congo at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship for multiple reasons: the Leopards were ousted from the group phase for the first time in 6 attempts, plus, captain Issama Mpeko and Saoule Bunga have both retired from the competition, as retrieved from CAFonline.

Senegal advanced to the quarter-finals of TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) Algeria 2022. On Sunday, the home-based Lions validated their ticket to the next round of the competition after defeating DR Congo 3-0.

Ousmane Diouf opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, before Senegal’s opponents made the job easier with the expulsion of Kevin Mondeko in the 33rd minute.

Reduced to 10, DR Congo held on and didn’t concede further in the first half. They however capitulated twice in the second period. First, in the 74th minute through a goal from Pape Amado Diallo, and then in the 77th minute courtesy the game’s third from Baggio Siadi Ngusia.

Thanks to the victory, Senegal ended with 6 points in group B and they are in the quarter-finals. Cote D’Ivoire defeated Uganda (3-1) in the second match of the group and equally qualified.

Two-time winners of the competition, DR Congo saw two veterans throw in the towel: Issama Mpeko of TP Mazembe and 39 year old Saoule Bunga have both aired that it was their last CHAN participation.