Senegal will be looking to make up for the disappointment of being dumped out in the round of 16 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations when they face Sudan at Grande de Tanger on Saturday.
The Terenga Lions made light work of Botswana 3-0, forced DR Congo to a 1-1 draw, before dispatching Benin in their final group game to stay level on seven points with DR Congo, but finished top of Group D, as a result of a superior goal difference.
Their performance in the first round has earned them relatively easy opponents in Sudan, but they know too well than taking the North Africans for granted, having fallen prey to eventual champions Ivory Coast at the same stage of the competition at the same stage in the last edition.
Senegal will back themselves to get past Sudan and rightfully so, given that they are one of the most in-form teams in the continent, winning three of their last four matches (D1).
They are also delivering on their attacking promise, having scored seven times and breached only once so far.
Sudan are one of the surprise teams of this round, making it to the last 16 despite losing two of their three group games.
The Sudanese started the competition on a losing note, courtesy of a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of fellow North Africans Algeria.
However, they hauled themselves back into reckoning with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea, before suffering a 2-0 loss against Burkina Faso in their final Group E encounter.
Nevertheless, one triumph in three matches was enough to make sure of their place as one of the best third-placed teams.
Saturday’s fixture against Senegal will be their toughest test yet, and the odds are stacked against them, considering their atrocious form of two wins across 15 matches.
How the bookies view it: The Senegalese are the overwhelming favourites
Senegal have been installed as the team to beat, with a third win in the Africa Cup of Nations, with William Hill pricing a triumph for Pape Thiaw’s team at 2/11.
Sudan are 20/1 underdogs to claim just their second win of the competition, and an unlikely place in the quarter final, while a draw is valued at 9/2.
Head-to-head: Senegal dominance
Considering the last seven head-to-head meetings between these teams, Senegal are head and shoulders above their Sudanese counterparts, with seven wins and four draws.
The Senegalese found the back of the net eight times across those seven fixtures, while the Sudanese managed to score one.
Player to watch: Nicolas Jackson
Nicolas Jackson announced his arrival at the competition with two goals in Senegal’s first game of the competition.
Since then, he has not been able to add to his tally, and with him and his teammates up against less competitive opponents, he will be kicking his lips at the prospects of adding to his tally on Saturday. Jackson to score anytime is priced at 6/5 on Bet365.
Probable line-ups
Senegal will miss the services of captain Kalidou Koulibaly, who received his marching orders in their last outing against Benin.
Assume Diao will miss out due to a thigh injury, while Ilay Camara is sidelined with a muscle injury.
Kwesi Appiah will be without Abobaker Eisa for Saturday’s fixture.
Senegal: Elneel, Awad, Saeed Ahmed, Karshom, Khamis, Taifour, Alhassan Omer, Nooh, Eisa, Abdelrahman
Sudan: Mendy, Jakobs, Niakhate, Seck, Diatta, P. Gueye, I.Gueye, Ndiaye, Mane, Sarr, Jackson
Anything else that catches the eye?
Three of Senegal’s last five matches returned at least three total goals.
More so, two of the last four meetings between them produced over 2.5 goals. Hence, the Over 2.5 goals option could be valuable, and it pays at 10/11 on William Hill.
GambleAware