Contenders Senegal, Nigeria start Africa Cup of Nations campaigns with wins
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Dylan Bronn (right) in action against Melvyn Lorenzen of Uganda during Tunisia's 3-1 Africa Cup of Nations win at the Olympic Stadium of Rabat on Dec 23.
PHOTO: EPA
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RABAT – Senegal had aimed to “start well” at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), and they did just that on Dec 23.
Nicolas Jackson scored twice as the much-fancied side began their title bid with a convincing 3-0 win over Botswana, while Nigeria’s Super Eagles made harder work of their opening match against Tanzania before claiming a 2-1 victory.
Elsewhere, there were also wins for the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tunisia as the first round of group matches continued in Morocco, often in torrential rain.
Senegal, champions in 2022, are perhaps the biggest threat to world No. 11 Morocco’s chances of winning the title on home soil and the Lions of Teranga made light work of Botswana in their Group D opener in Tangier.
Jackson, who is currently on loan at Bayern Munich from Chelsea, struck either side of half-time, with Cherif Ndiaye completing the scoring late on.
“The players did the job. We know how important it is to start well in a tournament,” said Senegal coach Pape Thiaw. “You could see how much the lads wanted the victory. They played really well... We have to keep going like this.”
It was a predictable outcome to the first match of the tournament for both teams as the 19th-ranked Senegal are 119 places above Botswana in the world rankings.
Heavy rain greeted the teams as they walked onto the pitch at the 68,000-seat Grand Stade de Tanger, the second-biggest by capacity of the nine being used in Morocco for the tournament.
Two-time African Player of the Year Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye and Jackson all came close to breaking the deadlock for Senegal before the opener arrived on 40 minutes.
Germany-born Ismail Jakobs and Germany-based Jackson combined for the goal, with the former cutting in from the left and pulling the ball back for the latter to finish.
A flowing move from midfield with quick, crisp passing then set up Jackson to double the lead just before the hour mark, and Cherif Ndiaye put the cherry on the cake for Senegal as he finished smartly at the end of another fine team move.
Senegal are level on three points at the top of the group with DR Congo, who edged out Benin 1-0 at the Stade El Barid in Rabat.
Theo Bongonda of Spartak Moscow pounced to score the winner on 16 minutes. “It was a very difficult match. I didn’t really know anything about Benin but they are a really good side,” he said.
DR Congo were semi-finalists at the last Afcon and are also hoping to qualify for the 2026 World Cup – they will do so if they win a play-off against New Caledonia or Jamaica in March.
Nigeria have come to Morocco aiming to make amends for their failure to qualify for the World Cup and the 2023 Afcon runners-up got off to a winning start in Fes, despite being wasteful in front of goal.
Semi Ajayi opened the scoring for the three-time African champions late in the first half. Charles M’Mombwa levelled soon after half-time for outsiders Tanzania but they could not build on that to go and claim a first-ever win at an Afcon.
Instead, Atalanta attacker Ademola Lookman, the 2024 African Player of the Year, hit back to spare Nigeria’s blushes as his rising shot from just outside the box made it 2-1.
Nigeria’s next Group C outing will be on Dec 27 against Tunisia, who top the section after easing to a 3-1 win against Uganda at the Olympic Stadium of Rabat. AFP
