Senegal is struggling, Morocco has been unsuccessful for a long time – but in the end both are in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Senegal, led by Liverpool star Sadio Mané, won 2-0 (0-0) against Cape Verde, but only became mandatory when they were clearly outnumbered: after two dismissals against the outsider, Mané scored the lead (63rd), and Bamba scored in added time Dieng (90 + 2) after.
Morocco missed numerous chances against Malawi, but still won 2-1 (1-1). Youssef En-Nesyri (45+2) and former Dortmund player Achraf Hakimi (70) with a free kick turned the game around for the “Lions of Atlas”. Earlier, Gabadinho Mhango (7′) put Malawi ahead with a remarkable shot from almost 40 yards. The striker from the Orlando Pirates in South Africa successfully used the tournament as a stage: all three goals of Malawi went to his account.
At Senegal’s opponents Cape Verde, Patrick Andrade (21′) was sent off early for a foul game, and in the second half goalkeeper Vozinha had to leave the field after an emergency brake (57′). However, Senegal had only scored one goal from the penalty spot in the group stage and now had difficulties on Tuesday as well.
With Bayern Munich’s Bouna Sarr in the starting eleven, the team hardly had any chances, after the break a violent clash between Mané and Vozinha changed the game: the goalkeeper was sent off, and it was Mané again who scored from a corner. The attacker had to be substituted a little later, visibly injured, and Cape Verde even had the chance to equalize in the closing stages.
Most recently, hosts Cameroon, Gambia, Tunisia and Burkina Faso had reached the quarter-finals. Côte d’Ivoire and Egypt as well as Mali and Equatorial Guinea play the last round of 16 on Wednesday.