Senegal 3-1 Cameroon (19 Jan, 2024) Game Analysis،
Ismaila Sarr scored one goal and set up another as defending champions Senegal beat Cameroon 3-1 on Friday and booked their place in the round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving their opponents in a certain perilous situation.
Sarr opened the scoring in the first half of the Group C match in Yamoussoukro after a mistake by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who was playing his first match of the tournament after a late arrival in Ivory Coast.
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Habib Diallo added the second goal from a Sarr cross before Jean-Charles Castelletto scored a late consolation for Cameroon. Sadio Mané completed Senegal's score in injury time.
The Lions of Teranga advance to the round of 16 with one last group match against Guinea to play. Cameroon is set to face Gambia in their final match. Both will take place on Tuesday.
Senegal lead the group with six points from two matches, while Cameroon and Guinea have one point each and Gambia have yet to break their duck. The final two teams will meet at the same venue later Friday.
Cameroon barely tested Senegalese goalkeeper Édouard Mendy until the final 10 minutes when he could have had a point after a sluggish performance that followed a 1-1 draw against Guinea in their opener – alarming form for coach Rigobert Song.
He selected Onana after the goalkeeper missed the Guinea match to play for Manchester United against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, and will be frustrated by the way the opening goal was conceded.
Sarr scored 16 minutes after Onana tried to clear a cross but didn't get the height or distance he needed and the ball fell to the winger, whose deflected shot went into the bottom corner .
Sarr then turned provider when he found himself in acres of space on the right side of the box and his low cross was pushed back from four yards out by Diallo.
The goal seemed to breathe life into Cameroon and they found a way back into the contest with a goal from a corner as Castelletto headed home an Olivier Ntcham cross.
It should have been 2-2 following a horrific miss at the far post from Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, who headed in with his mouth gaping.
Senegal came from behind at the other end and sealed all three points when Mané scored his third goal.
