Senegal beat Sudan to reach AFCON quarterfinals as Pape Gueye grabs brace

In the first Africa Cup of Nations last-16 game between Senegal and Sudan, Pape Gueye scored twice, and teenager Ibrahim Mbaye came off the bench to score the winner four minutes later.

Senegal resurrected with a 2-1 lead at half-time thanks to Pape Gueye’s goals after an early Aamir Abdallah goal for Sudan on Saturday. After 77 minutes, Mbaye finally put the outcome out of the question.

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In the quarterfinals, former champion Senegal will face Mali or Tunisia in Casablanca later on Saturday.

Senegal, who represented a nation that had been rifled by civil war since April 2023, are 99 places higher in the world rankings than Sudan.

In their final group game, Senegal made six changes to the team that won 3-1 over Botswana. Kalidou Koulibaly, the team’s captain, and center-back Kalidou Koulibaly were just one notable absentee.

Only one player from the Sudanese coaching team that started with a 2-0 defeat to Burkinabe Abdallah, forward Kwesi Appiah, was retained by Ghana-born coach Kwesi Appiah.

The nations’ first AFCON tournament meeting took place there. However, Senegal won at home and lost in the 2026 World Cup qualifying group, leaving them in the same group.

Senegal took the lead in sixth minute thanks to Abdallah, a semi-professional who plays for an Australian second-tier club in Melbourne.

The Sudan striker curled the ball over former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and into the net with a superb goal.

Despite failing to score in three group games, Sudan was still one of the top four third-placed countries in the knockout stages. Equatorial Guinea won thanks to an own goal.

Nicolas Jackson, who is currently a loanee to Bayern Munich from Chelsea, was deposed by a brave save from Monged Abuzaid in the 29th minute, but Senegal equalized almost immediately.

Pape Gueye equalized with a low shot into the net from the feet of the former African player of the year Sadio Mane.

In a game that Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), watched from the field, Senegal was constantly attacking while Sudan had little to offer moving forward.

After Abuzaid fouled Ismaila Sarr, the Mauritanian referee threw the ball to the penalty spot. After a lengthy VAR review revealed a Senegalese player was hostile during the buildup, the decision was later reversed.

The Sudanese scored then, only to have Ismaila Sarr from Crystal Palace suffer an offside ruling.

As half-time approached, Abuzaid was constantly in action and did well to push away a Pape Gueye shot with his outstretched right.

However, Pape Gueye had a half-time lead over Senegal in the Mediterranean city and had still got to score.

The La Liga player Villarreal midfielder brilliantly executed the goal three minutes into extra time. Abuzaid was hit by a cross that he side-footed with his left foot.

Midway through the second half, Senegal introduced Mbaye as a guarantee for a third goal. Abuzaid was hit at his near post as he latched on to a long pass and made an immediate impact.