Senegal secured third place in the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) after defeating Sudan 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Friday’s play-off match at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
Sudan struck first in the sixth minute when Mohamed Tia Asad rose highest to head home Abdel Raouf Yagoub’s well-delivered corner.
The Teranga Lions responded with dominant possession but were repeatedly denied by Sudan goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja, who produced a string of excellent saves.
After the break, Senegal increased their pressure, pushing forward in numbers. Their persistence was rewarded in the 58th minute when Seyni Ndiaye leveled the score with a perfectly timed header.
Both sides continued to chase a winner, but neither could find the breakthrough, sending the contest to penalties. Sudan’s Walieldin Khdir and Musab Makeen missed from the spot, while Mohamed Ahmed Saeed and Ahmed Tabanja converted. Senegal, meanwhile, held their nerve, converting all four attempts through Joseph Layousse, Issa Kane, Vieux Cisse, and Libasse Gueye to seal the bronze medal.
Senegal coach Souleymane Diallo praised his team’s spirit despite falling short of retaining the title they won in 2023.
“Although our target was to retain the title, we are happy we managed to come out third with our young team. We shall keep building on these players we have,” Diallo told Xinhua.
The final, pitting two-time champion Morocco against surprise package Madagascar, will be played on Saturday in Nairobi, Kenya. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
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