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Disappointing in the group stage, Senegal did not show a better face once morest Cape Verde, but managed to secure their qualification for the quarter-finals. The Lions of Teranga beat without convincing the Blue Sharks (0-2), reduced to nine.
Senegal did not really wake up in the round of 16, but provided the essentials by beating Cape Verde (0-2) on Tuesday January 25 and winning their qualification for the next round of CAN-2022 . The Teranga Lions took advantage of two exclusions from their opponents reduced to nine.
At the start of the match, the Senegalese put pressure and monopolize the ball. They multiply the corners, but without finding the flaw. The meeting then changed in the 18th minute. First warned by a yellow card for a bad sole on the ankle of Pape Gueye, Andrade finally receives a red.
Cape Verde is reduced to ten, but holds firm. Senegal continues to press, but as the minutes go by, the game drops in intensity. The Blue Sharks are tightening their line and clearly playing counterattacks. In the 39th minute, Sadio Mané offers himself a new great opportunity. After a good combination with Idrissa Gueye, he rushes into the area, but is impeccably stopped by a tackle from Fortes.
A big shock between Mané and Vozinha
At the start of the second half, the game resumed at the same false pace. The meeting then switches a second time to a big shock between Sadio Mané and Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha following a distant clearance from Mendy (53rd). Both players are completely stunned. The doorman of the Blue Sharks is finally sanctioned with a red card. Cape Verdeans are only nine on the pitch.
Senegal then took the opportunity to finally put the turbo. Ten minutes later, the second goalkeeper Marcio Rosa saves his team on a new strike from Sadio Mané well served by Idrissa Gueye in the area. Diedhiou resumes, but the defender Stopira intervenes. Cape Verde ended up cracking on a corner. Sadio Mané, still him, recovers the ball in the area and wraps perfectly with his right foot to place this ball under the crossbar and offer himself his second goal in this CAN-2022.
Visibly still stunned following his shock once morest the opposing goalkeeper, the striker leaves a few minutes later. His replacement Bamba Dieng then also tried his luck with a heavy strike following overflowing on the left side, but it went just wide of the frame (78th). Cape Verde is not dead and fails to equalize in the 86th minute. Tavares, who had slipped into the area, misses his heel once morest the Senegalese goal.
Dieng finally made the break for Senegal in stoppage time. After a very high ball recovery and on a two once morest one with Diedhou, he found himself alone in front of goal to score a second Senegalese goal with a flat foot.
The vice champions of Africa continue their adventure in this competition, but will have to show a better face if they want to claim the title. They will face in the quarter-finals the winner of the meeting between Mali and Equatorial Guinea.
