Koulibaly leads Senegal to vital win over Sudan, Elephants top the Harambee Stars' group

There ain't too many World Cup Qualifiers groups with such a thrill and drama as Group B in Africa, where Senegal and Sudan were neck-to-neck ahead of their clash on Friday night. However, things are much clearer after the match played at the Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio, which ended in a deserved 2-0 home win for the Lions of Teranga.

Senegal triumphed on the wings of their veteran captain, Kalidou Koulibaly, who scored the first-half opener, his only second-ever goal for the national side in his 93rd appearance.

The former Chelsea and Napoli centre-back added an assist to his name, as Pape Matar Sarr of Tottenham Hotspur doubled the lead near the break to wrap up the tie.

With only three games left to play, the Lions of Teranga are three points clear of Sudan, being much closer to getting the visa for the global showpiece, as DR Congo top the group following Friday's landslide 4-1 win against South Sudan.

On the other hand, the Ivory Coast routinely topped Burundi 1-0 at home to continue their highly successful qualification streak without a single loss (six victories and one draw). The Elephants are at the summit of Group F with 19 points, while the Harambee Stars have collected just six points so far after a dreadful loss to Gambia (1-3).

PLAYER RATINGS: Shambolic defense, limp midfield expose Harambee Stars in horror show

Moreover, Emerse Fae's men still haven't conceded a single goal in seven games, which is quite a unique achievement and it tells a lot about the quality of their defensive line. Still, their most prominent names might be their midfielders, Frank Kessie and Amad Diallo, although it was Vakoun Issouf Bayo of Udineses who scored the winner tonight.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - AFRICA

Wednesday

Seychelles - Gabon 0-4 (0-3)

/Bouanga 4, 34, 38, M'Bemba 89/

Thursday

Chad - Ghana 1-1 (0-1)

/Ecua 89 - Ayew 18/

Angola - Libya 0-1 (0-0)

/Al Mariami 48/

Guinea Bissau - Sierra Leone 1-1 (0-1)

/Balde 74 - Kamara 45+1/

Madagascar - Central African Republic 2-0 (1-0)

/Caddy 45+2,  Randrianantenaina 59/

Mauritius - Cape Verde 0-2 (0-1)

/Cabral 22, Borges 70/

Sao Tome - Equatorial Guinea 2-3 (2-0)

/Afonso 8 pen, 42 pen - Ganet 52, Salvador 61, Nabil 69/

Algeria - Botswana 3-1 (1-1)

/Amoura 33,  Bounedjah 71, 90+6 - Kopelang 43/

Cameroon - Eswatini 3-0 (3-0)

/Gamedze 6 (og), N'Koudou 25, Ebong 28/

Mali - Comoros 3-0 (1-0)

/Dorgeles 28, Doumbia 70 pen, Coulibaly 76/

Tunisia - Liberia 3-0 (1-0)

/Mastouri 5, Sassi 66, Saad 90+4/

Friday

Somalia - Guinea 0-3 (0-1)

/Guirassy 22, Othman 64 og, Camara O. 90+6/

South Sudan - DR Congo 1-4 (0-3)

/Majak 68 - Bakambu 13, 36, Mbuku 45+1, Wissa 57/

Kenya - Gambia 1-3 (0-3)

/Ogam 81 - Sinyan 12, Minteh 27, Barrow 38/

Namibia - Malawi 1-2 (0-1)

/Ndeunyema 86 - Mbulu 5, Mhango 53/

Benin - Zimbabwe 1-0 (0-0)

/Mounie 77/

Djibouti - Burkina Faso 0-6 (0-4)

/Irie 16, Tiendrebeogo 25, Tapsoba 36, 43, Quattara 59, 86 pen/

Lesotho - South Africa 0-3 (0-2)

/Nkota 15, Foster 63, Appollis 67/

Congo - Tanzania 1-1 (0-0)

/Moussavou 68 - Mwalimu 84/

Uganda - Mozambique 4-0 (0-0)

/Okello 48, Mato 70, 84, Capradossi 90/

Egypt - Ethiopia 2-0 (2-0)

/Salah 41 pen, Marmoush 45+2 pen/

Ivory Coast - Burundi 1-0 (1-0)

/Bayo 3/

Mauritania - Togo 2-0 (1-0)

/Yade 13, Abeid 68/

Morocco - Niger 5-0 (2-0)

/Saibari 29,38, El Kaabi 51, Igamane 69, Ounahi 85/

Senegal - Sudan 2-0 (2-0)

/Koulibaly 14, Sarr 41/

Saturday

19.00: (1.37) Nigeria (4.50) Rwanda (10.00)

***odds are subject to change***