Senegal 3-1 Cameroon: Defending Champions through to the Round of 16 in style
Ismaila Sarr scored one goal and set up another as defending champions Senegal defeated Cameroon 3-1 on Friday to advance to the round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, putting their opponents in danger.
Sarr opened the scoring in the first half of the Group C match in Yamoussoukro, capitalizing on a mistake by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who was playing his first game of the tournament after arriving late in Ivory Coast.
Habib Diallo scored the second goal from Sarr's cross, while Jean-Charles Castelletto provided a late consolation for Cameroon. Sadio Mane scored Senegal's final goal in injury time.
The Lions of Teranga advance to the knockout rounds with a final group game against Guinea remaining. Cameroon must play Gambia in their final match. Both of these are on Tuesday.
Senegal leads the pool with six points from two games, while Cameroon and Guinea each have one point, and Gambia has yet to score. The latter two teams will meet at the same location later on Friday.
Cameroon barely tested Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy until the final 10 minutes, when they could have earned a point after a sluggish performance that followed a 1-1 draw with Guinea in their opener, alarming coach Rigobert Song.
He chose Onana after the keeper missed the Guinea game to play for Manchester United against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, and he will be disappointed with the manner in which the first goal was conceded.
Sarr scored on 16 minutes after Onana attempted to punch clear a cross but did not get the necessary height or distance, and the ball fell to the winger, who deflected it into the bottom corner.
Sarr then turned provider when he was left with acres of space on the right side of the box, and Diallo converted his low cross from four yards out.
That goal seemed to jolt Cameroon into action, and they got back into the game with a goal from a corner as Castelletto headed in Olivier Ntcham's cross.
It should have been 2-2 after Georges-Kevin Nkoudou missed at the back post, heading wide with the goalmouth open.
Senegal went up the other end and sealed the three points with Mane scoring their third goal.
SportsLigue