African football powerhouse Senegal take on Sudan on Saturday night in a battle for supremacy of Group B in the qualifying campaign to play at the 2026 World Cup in United States, Canada and Mexico.
Sudan top the pool with 10 points after three wins and a draw. Senegal, the 2021 African champions, lie in third spot, two points behind following Democratic Republic of Congo's 1-0 win on Friday night over South Sudan.
"Morale is good," said Senegal boss Pape Thiaw. "We're talking about a place in the World Cup. So every match is a final. We're also on a run of two World Cups in a row and our ambition is to follow that up with a third. We'll be pulling out all the stops to win."
Senegal face Togo on Tuesday evening , while Sudan take on South Sudan and DRC face Mauritania.
"Absolutely nothing will be easy," added Thiaw who took over as head coach last December following Aliou Cissé's nine-year reign.
"But we are prepared. Our players understand the importance of what is at stake for our football, for our country and for themselves."
On Friday night, African champions Côte d’Ivoire took command of Group F with a 1-0 win over Burundi. Evann Guessand scored the only goal of the game in the 16th minute to put Emerse Faé's men on 13 points, one ahead of Gabon.
In Group I, Ghana thrashed bottom-of-the-table Chad 5-0. Antoine Semenyo got the hosts off to a perfect start in Accra with a goal in the second minute.
After the pause, Mohammed Salisu and Ernest Nuamah added the gloss.
Launch
Read also:
Côte d'Ivoire seek redemption in clash with Senegal in last-16 at Cup of Nations
Nigeria and South Africa coaches play fast and loose with 'favourite' tag
Nigeria edge past South Africa and into Cup of Nations final
