The Lions of Teranga from Senegal have just defeated the Scorpions of Gambia in the first match of the AFCON 2023 in Group C. As the favorites of the competition and this so-called “group of death,” the champions of the previous edition did not falter and secured a 3-0 victory. Here are the player ratings.
Senegal did not disappoint in their competition debut. Highly anticipated, the Lions of Teranga smoothly started their campaign by defeating Gambia, managed by Tom Saintfiet, on Monday. Things kicked off perfectly for the African champions in the 4th minute when Sadio Mané provided a golden opportunity for Pape Gueye, who calmly opened the scoring with a beautiful strike.
Dominant throughout, Aliou Cissé’s team extended their lead in the second half through the revelation of the team, 20-year-old Lamine Camara. In his debut match in the Africa Cup of Nations, Camara shone with a double. First, in the 52nd minute, he converted a beautiful pass from Sarr by beating Baboucar Gaye, Gambia’s goalkeeper. In the 86th minute, he scored a splendid goal with a curled shot following a pass from Iliman Ndiaye, who came on a few minutes earlier.
Too strong, the Senegalese Lions confidently win their first match, taking the lead in Group C in the 2023 AFCON. On the other hand, Gambia had a rough start. The African champions are indeed here to defend their title. Here are the player ratings from the match, with Lamine Camara (9.5), the standout player of the first game.
The Senegalese starting eleven
Edouard Mendy (7): A good match for the Al Ahli goalkeeper. Relatively calm in the first half, the Senegalese goalkeeper made a notable save in the second half from a dangerous shot by Barrow in the 48th minute.
Moussa Niakhaté (6.5): The Nottingham Forest defender played his part. Becoming Koulibaly’s preferred partner in the central defense, Niakhaté once again asserted himself with his physical presence. He did his job.
Kalidou Koulibaly (7): The defensive leader, Koulibaly, fulfilled his duties. Always precise in his choices, the Al Hilal defender in Saudi Arabia did the job despite a few shaky moments.
Ismail Jakobs (6.5): Once again starting on the left side of the Senegalese defense, the Monégasque fought hard. Effective defensively, Jakobs contributed offensively with his speed and runs.
Krépin Diatta (6.7): A good match for Diatta. The 24-year-old right winger once again showed great generosity. Defensively, he handled himself well, more so than in the attacking third.
Abdou Diallo (5.5): The Qatari club Al Arabi defender faced some difficulties. Quickly cautioned by the referee for a challenge on a Gambian player, the 27-year-old struggled to find his footing in the match. He made a few mistakes, but they didn’t cost his team.
Lamine Camara (9.5): The young Metz player is gaining recognition. Promoted to the Senegalese senior team last year, the 20-year-old midfielder continues to justify Aliou Cissé’s faith in him. In the absence of his idol Idrissa Gana Gueye, Camara delivered an extraordinary performance, winning numerous balls in midfield. In addition, his two marvelous goals in his first Africa Cup of Nations match make him the standout player of the first game.
Pape Gueye (7.5): Back in action after a 4-month suspension, the Marseille midfielder is on fire. Always with Aliou Cissé’s trust, Pape Gueye, who had an excellent preparation, quickly put his team on track with his early goal. In midfield, he thwarted many Gambian actions. He will be one to watch in the 2023 AFCON.
Ismaïla Sarr (6): It was a strange evening for the lively winger from Marseille. Highly anticipated in the 2023 AFCON, Sarr got lost in the first half. The provocative, dribbling, and fast player we know, however, woke up a bit in the second half, contributing an assist.
Habib Diallo (6): Leading the attack in place of the unavailable Boulaye Dia, the former Strasbourg player didn’t have the opportunity to shine, except in the early second half when he was denied by the Gambian goalkeeper. Nevertheless, he made himself available for the team.
Sadio Mané (7): The star of the Senegalese team played the required game. Serious and focused, Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate weighed on Gambia’s defense. He magnificently contributed to the opening goal with a precise pass to Gueye.
The Gambian starting eleven
Boubacarr Gaye (5): A tough night for the Gambia Scorpions’ goalkeeper, who couldn’t do much against the Senegalese.
Ibou Touray (5): The Stockport County defender had a tough time, like the rest of his teammates. Confined mostly to his own half, the 29-year-old player still managed to thwart some Senegalese actions.
Omar Colley (5.5): The Besiktas player fought to prevent his team from sinking. With his experience, the captain of the Gambian team did his best even though the task was very challenging.
James Gomez (6): The other Gambian central defender resisted as best as he could. He managed to contain the Senegalese striker well, although he couldn’t prevent the goals.
Saidy Janko (5.5): The former Manchester United player struggled against Sadio Mané but showed a lot of determination.
Alasana Manneh (5): It wasn’t a good working evening for the 25-year-old midfielder. Starting in Tom Saintfiet’s lineup, the Odense player was substituted out after an hour. He didn’t have much impact against Camara and the other Pape Gueye.
Ebou Adams (4): The underperformer of the evening, here he is. In great difficulty in midfield, the Cardiff player lost control of his temper and received a red card, complicating things for his team.
Ebrima Colley (6.3): The 22-year-old midfielder had a good game. Involved in both defense and attack, the LASK player expended a lot of energy for his teammates.
Yankuba Mintey (4.5): The Feyenoord player couldn’t make an impact. The star of the Gambian team, Mintey couldn’t do much against Jakobs and the other Niakhaté.
Musa Barrow (6.5): Not much to fault the Al-Taawoun striker for; as always, he was very active. He was the only one causing problems for Edouard Mendy.
Ali Sowe (4): When playing against players like Mendy and Gueye, it’s very difficult to make an impression. He didn’t make much of an impact during his 50 minutes on the field.
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