AFCON Qualifiers: Congo hold Senegal to set up final day showdown

Congo held Senegal to a 0-0 draw in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat in Brazzaville on Friday.

The result leaves the Red Devils in the driving seat ahead of a straight shootout with Guinea-Bissau for a place at next year’s tournament. Congo will make the trip to Bissau in second spot in Group I, two points clear of Guinea-Bissau and will thus just need a draw to punch their Afcon ticket.

Already qualified Senegal moved up to 13 points following the result in Brazzaville and remain undefeated in the group, ahead of a dead rubber showdown at home to bottom-placed eSwatini next week.

Chances were few and far between but the Teranga Lions came closest to grabbing all three points with Sadio Mane unlucky to see his first-half effort canon off the woodwork.

Sadio Mané 😳🇸🇳#TotalAFCONQ2021 | @FootballSenegal pic.twitter.com/WMhfNlJoHT

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 26, 2021

A terrific defence-splitting pass from Pape Matar Sarr set the Liverpool star through on goal, but having bamboozled the retreating defence, he was unlucky to watch his shot canon off the frame of the goal and out of danger.

Congo beat Guinea-Bissau 3-0 in the reverse fixture in November 2019. The top two nations in each group advance to the 24-team finals hosted in Cameroon next year.