It was Sudan who struck first in the AFCON 2025 Round of 16, during their match against a Senegal side that arrived as the clear favorite to advance past this stage.

Aamir Abdallah’s stunning goal

Senegal rally past Sudan behind Pape Gueye brace to reach AFCON 2025 quarterfinals

Two goals from Pape Gueye, the Villarreal attacker, powered Senegal’s 3–1 comeback win over Sudan on Saturday, sending the Teranga Lions into the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations after their shock Round of 16 exit in the previous edition.

Senegal are once again firmly in the title conversation. AFCON champions in 2021 and runners-up in 2019 and 2002, the West African giants bounced back from their disappointing 2023 campaign with a commanding knockout performance.

The match did not start as planned for Senegal. Sudan struck early in the sixth minute when Amar Abdallah finished past Edouard Mendy following an assist from Walieldin Khidir, briefly stunning the tournament favorites.

But Senegal responded with authority. Gueye leveled the score around the half-hour mark after a pass from Sadio Mané, before completing his brace in stoppage time with a sensational first-time strike from the edge of the box, set up by Nicolas Jackson.

Sudan, AFCON champions in 1970 but rarely competitive in recent editions, struggled to recover from the double blow. The match was put beyond doubt late on when 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye, forward for Paris Saint-Germain, scored Senegal’s third goal after another assist from Mané, who had just come off the bench.

With the win, Senegal advance to the AFCON 2025 quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of Mali vs Tunisia, while Sudan bow out of the tournament.