Defending AFCON champions secure a spot in the round of 16 with goals contributed by Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diallo, and Sadio Mane.

Defending champions Senegal secured their place in the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Cameroon. The win, their second of the tournament, came courtesy of goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diallo, and Sadio Mane.

The match, which took place at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro, saw Senegal dominate from the start. It only took 16 minutes for the first goal to arrive, with Sarr capitalizing on a mistake by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana to put Senegal in the lead.

Cameroon, missing key strikers Vincent Aboubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi, struggled to find a response against a solid Senegal defense. In the 71st minute, Sarr provided an excellent cross for Diallo, who easily tapped the ball into the net to double Senegal’s advantage.

Cameroon finally registered a shot on target in the 83rd minute, as defender Jean-Charles Castelletto scored a header to give his side a glimmer of hope. However, their hopes were dashed when former Tottenham midfielder Georges-Kevin N’Koudou missed a golden opportunity to equalize, heading wide from close range.

In the dying moments of the game, Sadio Mane sealed the victory for Senegal with a precise finish. The result means that Senegal has secured their place in the knockout stage with a game to spare, while Cameroon now face the risk of elimination with just one point from two games in Group C.

Senegal’s impressive performance in this match, combined with their earlier 3-0 victory over Gambia, makes them strong contenders to retain their title as Africa Cup of Nations champions.