This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
Three-star Senegal leave Kenya on the brink ¶
Published on July 2, 2019
Senegal's Sadio Mane scored a brace in the second half to lead his team to a 3-0 win over Kenya at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Egypt.
Mane's goals came after Ismaila Sarr had given Senegal the lead with a spectacular half-volley in the 62nd minute. The win sent Senegal into the last 16 of the African Cup of Nations, while Kenya's chances of advancing to the next round were left in tatters.
Kenya's Philemon Otieno was sent off in the 70th minute for a second bookable offense, leaving his team with a mountain to climb against a steely Senegalese opponent.
Kenyan goalie Patrick Matasi had earlier threatened to claim the man-of-the-match award with spectacular saves in the first half, including denying Mane from the spot.
However, the winds blew in the opposite direction in the second half, and Senegal's pressure eventually told. Mane's second goal came just eight minutes after Sarr had broken the deadlock, and it was Kenya's Musa Mohamed who was at fault for failing to bring down a long ball from Lamine Gassama.
Senegal's third goal came just seven minutes later, when Mane stepped up to face Matasi again after Sarr was hacked down by a late Philemon Otieno challenge.
Kenya's best chance in the first half came in the eighth minute, when Michael Olunga's dinked effort narrowly missed the target. Senegal then attacked, with Mbaye Niang coming close in the 21st minute, but Patrick Matasi was alert in Kenya's goal, thwarting his attempt.
Kenya's Harambee Stars coach Sebastien Migne stuck to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, with Michael Olunga roaming upfront as the only target man. The team's starting eleven included Patrick Matasi, Joseph Okomu, Abud Omar, Mohamed Musa, Masika Timbe, Johanna Omolo, Victor Mugubi, Erick Ouma, Olunga Michael, Philemon Otieno, and Dennis Odhiambo.
