Senegal will get its AFCON 2025 marketing campaign began with victory over Botswana

[ad_1] Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Senegal began its Africa Cup of Nations title bid with a snug 3-0 win over Botswana on Tuesday.

Substitute Cherif Ndiaye accomplished the scoring after Botswana goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko had prevented worse for the Zebras, who lined up with 5 on the again and have been pinned again for a lot of the sport.

“Now we have to maintain going like this,” stated Senegal coach Pape Thiaw, who nonetheless noticed room for enchancment.

Senegal, winner of the 2021 version and one of many favourites once more, ought to have scored extra towards a staff ranked 138th on the earth, all whereas the colorfully dressed Senegal followers danced to the beat of their drums.

The official staff supporters had taken their positions lengthy earlier than kickoff and by no means stopped, not at the same time as organisers blared pop tunes and ads within the in any other case principally empty stadium.

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Attendance within the 68,000-capacity Grand Stade de Tanger was simply over 18,500. Heavy rainfall probably stored impartial followers away. It stored pouring on the third day of what's shaping as much as be the wettest and coldest Africa Cup up to now. The match was initially scheduled for the summer time, however it was pushed again to keep away from clashing with FIFA’s new Membership World Cup competitors.

Jackson, who has had restricted alternatives at Bayern Munich since his summer time change from Chelsea, missed a bunch of probabilities. The primary got here early with Phoko getting the higher of their one-on-one, earlier than Pape Gueye fired over, and Phoko made one other nice save to disclaim Sadio Mané.

Many extra probabilities have been missed earlier than Jackson lastly broke the impasse within the fortieth with a easy end to Ismail Jakobs’ quick cross.

Botswana initially confirmed extra attacking ambition after the break, however that yielded extra counterattacking alternatives for the Teranga Lions, who shortly resumed their earlier dominance.

Jackson used each ft earlier than sweeping within the ball in for his second objective within the 58th minute from Ismaïla Sarr’s cross.

Phoko remained the busiest Botswana participant as Jackson’s frustrations grew. Jackson went off for Ndiaye within the 78th, and the substitute wrapped up the scoring within the final minute.

An early objective from Théo Bongonda was sufficient for Congo to beat Benin 1-0 within the first sport in Group D.

Nigeria, which misplaced the ultimate to host nation Ivory Coast within the final version, was opening its marketing campaign later towards Tanzania – the Taifa Stars – within the previous “imperial metropolis” of Fez.