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Senegal overpower Benin, claim top spot in Group D

football30 December 2025 21:10| © Backpage TXT
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Senegal overpowered Benin 3-0 in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations clash at the Tangier Grand Stadium on Tuesday night, claiming top spot in Group D.

The Teranga Lions secured the victory thanks to goals from Abdoulaye Seck, Habib Diallo and Cherif Ndiaye, but ended the game with 10 men after captain Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off. He will miss their round of 16 clash against either Burkina Faso or Sudan in Tangier on Saturday 3 January.

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The Cheetahs, meanwhile, finished third in the group behind Senegal and DR Congo (who thrashed Botswana in a concurrent game) and have set up a clash with Egypt in Agadir on Monday 5 January.

After a quiet opening 20 minutes, the first efforts at goal from each team arrived via ambitious efforts from Benin’s Mohamed Tijani and Senegal’s Krepin Diatta around the midway point of the first half.

Senegal began to exert greater pressure after the half-hour mark, with Lamine Camara drawing a sharp save from Marcel Dandjinou with a long-range shot in the 37th minute.

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And less than 60 seconds later Abdoulaye Seck got on the end of a free kick from Krepin Diatta and directed an effort into the top corner of the net for 1-0. The goal was given scrutiny by VAR, with replays suggesting that the ball had come off Seck’s elbow, but the goal was awarded nonetheless.

The Cheetahs sought an equaliser before the interval, but their chance from Steve Mounie in injury time was smothered by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Senegal doubled their lead just past the hour mark thanks to Habib Diallo, who expertly swept home a fine pull-back by Sadio Mane from the left by-line.

However, the 2021 AFCON champions then suffered a major blow just under 10 minutes later when captain and key defender Kalidou Koulibaly was shown a straight red – after a VAR review – for a studs-up challenge on Aiyegun Tosin.

Benin had chances in the remaining time to alter the score line, but Junior Olatain saw his shot from a free kick brilliantly saved by Mendy, while further attempts were wasted.

Senegal then won a penalty in injury time and substitute Cherif Ndiaye confidently cracked home from 12 yards to complete a 3-0 triumph.

Benin 0

Senegal (1) 3 (Seck 38’, Diallo 63’, Ndiaye 90+7’ pen)

Benin: M. Dandjinou, T. Ourou (R. Moumini 85’), O. Verdon, M. Tijani, Y. Roche, D. Dodo (R. Aloko 46’), A. Samadou, H. Imourane, A. Tosin (G. Ahoudo 85’), S. Mounie, J. Olaitan (R. Amoussou 85’)

Senegal: E. Mendy, K. Diatta, A. Seck, K. Koulibaly, M. Diouf, P. Sarr (P. Ciss 81’), I. Gueye, L. Camara (H. Diarra 46’), I. Ndiaye (I. Mbaye 46’), H. Diallo (M. Sarr 76’), S. Mane (C. Ndiaye 88’)

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