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On Friday, Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr scored a goal and assisted on another, helping the defending champions defeat Cameroon 3-1 and secure their spot in the round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations. This result puts Cameroon in a precarious position.
Sarr was the first to score in the Group C match in Yamoussoukro during the first half, taking advantage of a mistake made by Manchester United’s goalkeeper Andre Onana. This was Onana’s first game of the tournament as he arrived late in the Ivory Coast.
Habib Diallo scored the second goal off of Sarr’s pass, followed by a late consolation goal by Jean-Charles Castelletto for Cameroon. Sadio Mane sealed the victory for Senegal in injury time.
The Teranga Lions have secured their spot in the knockout stages, leaving them with one final group game against Guinea. Cameroon will face Gambia in their last match, both taking place on Tuesday.
Ismaila Sarr was responsible for both a goal and an assist in Senegal’s victory over Cameroon.
Senegal is leading the group with six points after playing two games. Cameroon and Guinea each have one point, and Gambia has not yet scored any points. Later on Friday, the two latter teams will face each other at the same location.
Cameroon’s offense failed to challenge Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy for most of the game. It wasn’t until the last 10 minutes that they had a chance to tie the game, following a lackluster performance that came after a 1-1 draw with Guinea in their previous match. This is concerning for coach Rigobert Song.
He chose Onana as the goalkeeper for the match against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, as he missed the Guinea game. However, he will be disappointed by the way the first goal was scored.
Onana’s attempt to clear a cross resulted in a deflected shot by Sarr, which found the bottom corner of the net after 16 minutes. Onana did not have enough height or distance on his punch, leading to the opportunity for Sarr to score.
Sarr became the provider as he found himself with plenty of room on the right side of the box. He sent a low cross into the box and Diallo was able to finish it from four yards out.
Habib Diallo scored again to give Senegal a two-goal advantage.
The goal appeared to ignite Cameroon, as they were able to find a way to get back into the game with a goal from a corner. Castelletto scored by heading in a cross from Olivier Ntcham.
The score should have been 2-2, but Georges-Kevin Nkoudou missed a golden opportunity at the back post by heading wide.
Mane scored their third goal, securing three points for Senegal at the other end of the field.
In Group B, Cape Verde maintained their perfect record by defeating Mozambique 3-0. They currently lead Group B with goals from Bebe, Ryan Mendes, and Kevin Pina, securing a spot in the next round. Their next match is against Egypt, who must win in order to advance to the knockout stages.
Source: independent.co.uk
