AFCON 2023: Senegal top Group C; Cameroon earn late win to join them in Round 16
Defending champions Senegal, rubber stamped their place in the Round of 16 after second half goals by Abdoulaye Seck and Iliman Ndiaye secured the Lions of Teranga a 2-0 victory in Bouake.
By virtue of winning their first two matches, Senegal had already secured a place in the next phase but with Guinea being two points behind them, it was a battle for the top spot for the two sides.
Following an evenly balanced ties, the deadlock was eventually broken a minute after the hour mark when Abdoulaye Seck found the opener, following a Krepin Diatta assist to give Senegal the lead.
Guinea, seeing that their chance of a place in the round of 16 was in jeopardy with Cameroon and The Gambia playing in a simultaneous fixture, went in desperate search of the equalizer but were met by a tactically sound Senegalese defense.
In true champion style, the defending champions absorbed the pressure and put the match beyond reach with a goal in the 90th minute following a Sadio Mane assist that was finished off by Marseille forward, Ndiaye who doubled and sealed the victory for the Teranga Lions.
Cameroon beat Gambia in a five goal thriller to move up to second place which books them a place in the Last 16.
Karl Toko Ekambi put Cameroon in the lead in the 56th minute. Ekambi met a cross from Georges-Kevin N’Koudou to score with a header.
Gambia came back into the game with an equalizer through Ablie Jallow. He latched on to a cross into the 18-yard box to shoot into the bottom right corner to score.
The Scorpions went on to take the lead. Ebrima Colley was laid through by Assan Ceesay with a sumptuous pass. The forward kept his cool to put the ball into the net.
With exit staring at the face of Cameroon, they had to respond, and, they did.
James Gomez tried clearing a ball from his own half but it ended up in his own net just two minutes after they took the lead.
Cameroon took the lead once again. Defender Christopher Wooh met Georges-Kevin N’Koudou’s cross with a header to score.
Guinea are in a strong position to join Senegal and Cameroon in the Round of 16 as one of the best third placed teams.
