2026 World Cup qualifiers: Sudan hold Senegal in goalless thriller to stay top of Group B
Published: Saturday, 22 March 2025
Sudan's remarkable run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers continued on Saturday evening as they held tournament favourites Senegal to a hard-fought 0-0 draw in Benghazi, Libya.
The result keeps Sudan unbeaten and top of Group B with 11 points from five matches—two clear of Senegal and one ahead of DR Congo, who are second in the group.
For the Lions of Teranga, the draw adds further pressure ahead of their clash with Togo on Tuesday.
Despite their superior experience and firepower, Senegal struggled to break down a disciplined and resilient Sudanese side that has become the group's surprise package.
The 2021 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations champions nearly made a perfect start when a mistake from Sudan goalkeeper Mohamed Mustafa in the opening minute gifted an opportunity, only for him to recover in time.
The Lions dominated possession throughout, but Sudan looked the more dangerous on the counter.
The best chance of the first half arguably fell to Sudan, as a forward skipped past Edouard Mendy in the 20th minute but fired wide with the goal gaping.
At the other end, Senegal wasted a one-on-one opportunity and missed another close-range chance just before the break.
Sudan came out with renewed confidence in the second half. Just three minutes after the restart, Mendy was called into action again—parrying a long-range effort before smothering the rebound under pressure.
Sudan's penalty appeals were waved away after their attacker went down in the box following the follow-up.
Senegal's golden moment came in the 54th minute when Sadio Mané acrobatically connected with a loose ball in the box, only to send his overhead kick over the bar with the Sudanese keeper beaten.
Walieldin Khidir missed a glorious chance to win it for Sudan in the 76th minute, scuffing wide from inside the area. Mané again threatened at the other end four minutes later, but his shot was cleared off the line.
Despite late pressure, neither side could find a winner, and the spoils were shared in a pulsating encounter that showcased Sudan's tactical discipline and Senegal's growing frustration.
With this result, Sudan continue to dream of a first-ever World Cup appearance, while Senegal face an uphill battle to reclaim the group's top spot. The next round of fixtures on Tuesday could prove decisive.
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