Senegal v Cabo Verde Match Report, 26/1/22

Sadio Mane and Bamba Dieng scored as Senegal intensified their bid for a first Africa Cup of Nations title with a 2-0 Round of 16 win over Cape Verde at Bafoussam.

In the group stage, the West Africans had scored just one goal and that came from the penalty spot against Zimbabwe.

The Lions of Teranga needed under a minute to show they meant business. Saliou Cisse burst forward before crossing the ball into the danger zone. It eventually found its way to Sadio Mane whose first-time hit came off the upright with the goalkeeper well beaten.

Within the first 12 minutes, the tournament favourites had already won four corners that bore no fruit.

Kenny Rocha Santos fouled Mane just outside the 18-yard area in the 13th minute and referee Lahlou Benbraham took little time to punish him. PSG star Idrissa Gueye took it but was unable to beat the wall.

In the 20th minute, Cape Verde were reduced to 10-men; their captain Patrick Andrade made a dangerous challenge against Gueye and after consulting VAR, the referee sent him off. It was a sixth red card in the five matches played in the Round of 16 so far.

The first half ended with Senegal making just three off-target attempts, with their opponents having none.

Even after the break, the Teranga Lions struggled to get clear scoring chances.

A long ball by Edouard Mendy in the Senegal goal caught his opposite number and defenders napping. Mane made an ambitious run and looked set to win the ball ahead of Vozinha.

In his bid to stop the Senegal star from scoring, the goalkeeper committed a dangerous head collision, in the 54th minute, that left him and the Liverpool attacker injured. After, yet again, consulting with the VAR, the referee sent off Vozinha for dangerous play.

Garry Rodrigues was sacrificed with Marcio Rosa coming in to take his position between the goalposts.

With nine men on the pitch, it was a question of when Senegal would score. Mane answered that question in the 63rd minute when his strike from a corner kick hit the back of the net. Unfortunately for him, that was his last contribution in the game and he was substituted to get treatment for the earlier collision.

Cape Verde were exposed in stoppage-time when Famara Diedhiou and Dieng raced clear. The former set up the latter for an easy finish and sealed a place in the quarters where they will play the winner between Mali and Equatorial Guinea.