Africa Cup Of Nations
Result: Senegal 1-0 Benin
Date: 10 July 2019
Venue: 30 June Air Defence Stadium
Senegal overcame Benin 1-0 at 30 June Stadium on Wednesday evening to progress to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals. Sadio Mane was looking the most dangerous player on the pitch in the opening exchanges, but luckily for the Benin defence, the Liverpool star was flagged marginally offside on two occassions he got in behind. In the 23rd minute, the Lions of Teranga had their first decent opportunity. Henri Saivet whipped in a delivery from the corner and Cheikhou Kouyate rose highest to meet the ball but could only direct his header wide of the right-hand upright from the centre of the box. The Squirrels responded with an opportunity of their own three minutes later. Cebio Soukou won a free-kick deep in Senegalese territory after being brought down by Kouyate. Soukou swung in the set-piece with the ball finding its way to Mickael Pote, whose left footed shot from the centre of the box was close, but missed to the right. In first-half injury time, Kalidou Koulibaly played the ball over the top down the left-hand side to release Youssouf Sabaly, who squared the ball towards Mane for a tap-in but it was well intercepted by the Benin defence. Benin had a glorious opportunity to take the lead two minutes after the interval. Soukou did well to dribble past Koulibaly down the right-hand touchline before squaring the ball to an unmarked Pote at the back post but he could only muster a weak effort straight at Senegal goalkeeper Alfred Gomis. Senegal won a free-kick just outside the box on the hour mark when Mane was fouled by Olivier Verdon. Set-piece specialist Saivet curled the free-kick mere inches over the crossbar when it looked as if it may dip in to the top left-hand corner. Four minutes later, Koulibaly played another exquisite ball over the top for Sabaly down the left, with the full-back attempting the impossible from an acute angle when he should have crossed. Soon after, Gomis almost put the ball in to his own net when he badly miscued an attempted pass as the ball trickled just wide. The Lions of Teranga took the lead in the 69th minute when Idrissa Gueye played a one-two with Mane in the box to get in behind before placing the finish expertly in to the right-hand corner. Soon after, Mane was denied by a brilliant point-blank save from Squirrels' keeper Saturnin Allagbe and then had what looked like a legitimate goal ruled out for offside in the 75th minute after rounding Allagbe and tapping in to an empty net. Senegal were all over Benin like a bad rash by this stage and could count themselves desperately unlucky not to have doubled their lead. Benin centre-back Verdon was sent off in the 82nd minute for bringing down Gueye when the Everton man was through on goal. The Lions of Teranga failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage with another goal but it was enough to make it through to the next round. 
