Senegal vs Cameroon - LIVE!

Senegal booked their place in the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations with a deserved 3-1 win over Cameroon. Ismaila Sarr opened the scoring in the first-half, beating Andre Onana with the help of a deflection, and while Senegal were made to wait for their second goal, it was no surprise when it came with 20 minutes remaining for the defending AFCON champions.

Sarr was involved again, playing a lovely ball across the face of goal, and Habib Diallo was on hand at the back post to turn the ball into an empty net as he slid in. Cameroon's first shot on target did not come until the 83rd minute, but it brought a goal and set up a grandstand finish. A corner was taken short before it eventually was whipped in, and Jean-Charles Castelletto rose well to power a header past Edouard Mendy.

That threatened a nervy finish, as Cameroon for the first time in the match offered a a serious threat, and they wasted a massive chance to equalise deep into stoppage-time. Castelletto whipped a brilliant ball into the middle, finding an unmarked Georges-Kevin N'Koudou who somehow headed wide from six-yards out. And it proved a costly miss, as the match was put to bed seconds later. Pape Gueye cut the ball back for Sadio Mane, and he picked his spot perfectly as he swept a first-time finish beyond Onana.

Senegal vs Cameroon latest news

• GOAL! Mane seals victory for defending champions

• GOAL! Castelletto header sets up grandstand finish

• GOAL! Diallo doubles advantage for Senegal

• GOAL! Sarr gives Senegal early lead

FT: Senegal 3-1 Cameroon

19:00 , Matt Verri

Job done for Senegal!

They are through to the last-16, and could be confirmed as group winners tonight when Guinea face Gambia.

Cameroon sit on just point one after two matches - they must win against Gambia in their final game or they are out.

Senegal 3-1 Cameroon

18:58 , Matt Verri

90+7 mins: Still we go on.

Cameroon know their race is run - Senegal look capable of scoring a fourth here.

GOAL! Senegal 3-1 Cameroon | Sadio Mane 90+5'

18:55 , Matt Verri

GAME OVER!

Seconds after that miss. Senegal break down the right, ball cut back to Mane and he passes the ball low past Onana. Picked his spot perfectly.

Senegal 2-1 Cameroon

18:54 , Matt Verri

90+4 mins: MASSIVE chance.

Wow. Superb ball in from Castelletto, N'Koudou is unmarked but he somehow heads wide from six yards out. Mendy didn't move.

Senegal 2-1 Cameroon

18:51 , Matt Verri

90 mins: Seven minutes added time!

Cameroon still have hope of snatching something from this match.

Senegal 2-1 Cameroon

18:48 , Matt Verri

88 mins: It's all Cameroon now - how have Senegal got themselves into this position?

Nervy for the defending champions all of a sudden...

Senegal 2-1 Cameroon

18:46 , Matt Verri

86 mins: So close!

Long ball into the Senegal box, flicked on and N'Koudou is about six inches away from turning it in at the back post.

Senegal 2-1 Cameroon

18:46 , Matt Verri

85 mins: Onana getting very irritated, as Camara goes down and now he is stretchered off.

The Man United goalkeeper not convinced that issue is a serious one... and Camara now jogs straight back on.

GOAL! Senegal 2-1 Cameroon | Jean-Charles Castelletto 83'

18:43 , Matt Verri

WELL THEN!

Ball whipped in from the right, Castelletto gets up well in the middle and he powers a header into the bottom corner.

Senegal 2-0 Cameroon

18:42 , Matt Verri

82 mins: Two Senegal changes then.

Ndiaye and Jackson are on, as Sarr and Diallo make way.

Senegal 2-0 Cameroon

18:40 , Matt Verri

80 mins: Bit of concern for Senegal, as Diallo slips when trying to hold the ball up and he's stayed down.

Referee has called for the stretcher - could be the end of Diallo's match.

Senegal 2-0 Cameroon

18:38 , Matt Verri

78 mins: It's all so comfortable for Senegal.

Cameroon not really pressing, not really sitting back. Not sure what the plan is.

Onana's plan is to keep lumping it long. It's not working.

Senegal 2-0 Cameroon

18:38 , Matt Verri

78 mins: It's all so comfortable for Senegal.

Cameroon not really pressing, not really sitting back. Not sure what the plan is.

Onana's plan is to keep lumping it long. It's not working.

Senegal 2-0 Cameroon

18:35 , Matt Verri

75 mins: Neyou with a terrible challenge, earns himself a yellow card. Plenty of frustration in that, hacks down Sarr.

Gueye is on for Senegal, replacing Sarr of the Tottenham variety.

Senegal 2-0 Cameroon

18:33 , Matt Verri

74 mins: Cooling break, a chance for the Senegal fans to really start the party in the stands. Been a very stress-free evening for them.

Cameroon will be right back in this with a goal, but they haven't even had a shot on target yet.

GOAL! Senegal 2-0 Cameroon | Habib Diallo 71'

18:31 , Matt Verri

It's been coming!

Sarr with a great ball in from the right, and Diallo is there sliding in at the back post to provide the finishing touch.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

18:29 , Matt Verri

69 mins: Cameroon almost get themselves level out of nothing.

N'Koudou with a great ball in, Mendy spills it, ball bounces off Koulibaly and rolls out of play. That could have gone anywhere, including into the empty net.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

18:26 , Matt Verri

66 mins: Onana is desperate to get involved.

Cameroon have a free-kick 35 yards out, and the goalkeeper decides to jog up and offer his opinion.

Not sure if they listened or not, but it's clipped straight out of play.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

18:23 , Matt Verri

63 mins: This second Senegal goal is surely coming.

Sarr completely free on the right, ball comes down the line.

Has an age to pick someone out in the middle, opts for Diallo and he near enough catches it in an attempt to bring it down. Not many complaints when that is given as handball.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

18:21 , Matt Verri

60 mins: Can't go more than 30 seconds without the whistle blowing at the minute.

No flow at all to the game, Cameroon players getting a bit heated. Diallo shown a yellow card for holding onto the ball too long for Senegal, he's now suspended for the next match.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

18:17 , Matt Verri

57 mins: Senegal are one good pass away from doubling their lead again.

Three-on-one, as Sarr charges forward and Diallo waits for the ball.

It's really good, and fairly desperate, defending from Nouhou, who has to fly in to intercept.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

18:13 , Matt Verri

53 mins: Almost brilliant from Senegal, lovely move.

Camara floats a superb ball to Sarr, he has Mane waiting in the middle for a tap-in but he can only volley it straight at Onana.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

18:12 , Matt Verri

52 mins: Scrappy start to this half.

Neither side able to have a dangerous attack yet, lots of stoppages and soft free-kicks.

That will suit Senegal just front.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

18:08 , Matt Verri

48 mins: Castelletto shown a yellow card, felt slightly soft.

Ball was launched forward, Castelletto challenged in the air for the ball and caught Diallo. Nothing in it, but he's into the book.

Back underway!

18:05 , Matt Verri

Up and running at the start of the second-half!

Senegal in front...

17:58 , Matt Verri

Sarr finished into the bottom corner, with a large helping hand from Anguissa. Onana could only watch on.

HT: Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:51 , Matt Verri

So far, so good for the defending champions.

They are 45 minutes away from the knockout stages, they've been the better side by a long way.

Plenty for Cameroon to consider at the break.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:49 , Matt Verri

45+3 mins: Camara sharp to pounce on a loose pass, skips away down the right wing until Kemen comes flying in.

Not a good challenge at all - yellow card.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:47 , Matt Verri

45 mins: Four minutes added on.

Cameroon need half-time really, have to regroup and get themselves together. They keep going long, but Magri can't do anything with it. So isolated.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:43 , Matt Verri

42 mins: It's all Senegal, Cameroon struggling to get into this match.

Ball falls for Diallo, Sarr is there waiting for the lay-off but the striker doesn't make the pass and the chance goes.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:40 , Matt Verri

39 mins: Huge chance!

Senegal very nearly go 2-0 up. Lovely move, Camara sliding the ball through to Mane and he looks to bein on goal.

Tchato does superbly to slide in and block the shot though, saved a goal there.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:38 , Matt Verri

37 mins: Ngamaleu has space to break into on the right, after a loose pass from Sarr.

He has options in the middle, Kemen is free at the back post but he takes too long to make a decision. Eventually decides to clip the ball across, but it's charged down. Senegal got back well.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:35 , Matt Verri

34 mins: Back up and running.

And it's more of the same already, Senegal knocking the ball around nicely and Cameroon giving away a cheap free-kick. Sarr held it up, waited for the contact and toppled over.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:32 , Matt Verri

31 mins: For all Senegal have been impressive, Mane has barely had a kick.

He wins a free-kick here after being bundled into from behind, and the referee uses the chance to signal for a cooling break.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:29 , Matt Verri

28 mins: Cameroon corner - you feel they need something soon, because Senegal look really confident.

Cleared behind, take two coming up. N'Koudou to take, poor delivery again.

Diallo then makes a mess of a header, Magri briefly looks to be clean through but Mendy flies off his line to claim.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:27 , Matt Verri

26 mins: Onana basically playing as a third centre-back, pushing so high up the pitch when Cameroon have the ball.

Decides to try and ping a pass out wide, loses possession. Fair to say the goalkeeper hasn't made a brilliant start to the match.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:24 , Matt Verri

23 mins: Big chance for Senegal as they break, Camara charging into space.

He's got players free either side, tries to slide in Diallo but overhits the pass. Had to do better there.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:20 , Matt Verri

19 mins: Senegal not really a side you want to concede the first goal to. They're rock solid at the back.

N'Koudou with a nice bit of skill, nutmegs Diatta but the ball runs out of play.

Senegal 1-0 Cameroon

17:18 , Matt Verri

17 mins: Was a poor punch from Onana as the corner came in, didn't do enough with it.

And he then couldn't do anything as the shot flicked off and Anguissa and found the net.

GOAL! Senegal 1-0 Cameroon | Ismaila Sarr 16'

17:17 , Matt Verri

SENEGAL TAKE THE LEAD!

Corner isn't cleared by Cameroon, falls to Sarr on the edge of the box.

Works space for the shot, looks like it took a deflection as the ball flew into the bottom corner.

It did indeed, enough to beat Onana.

17:15 , Matt Verri

14 mins: Bit of a delay, as Ngamaleu goes down and needs some treatment.

He's fine back underway, managers used that for a quick team-talk. Imagine both will be fairly satisfied with how their players have started.

Senegal 0-0 Cameroon

17:12 , Matt Verri

11 mins: Ngamaleu wants a free-kick... instead it's, you guessed it, another corner.

Taken short, Senegal try something clever and Mane is offside. That routine needs a bit more work.

Senegal 0-0 Cameroon

17:10 , Matt Verri

9 mins: Anguissa a bit too keen to win the ball back from Sarr, wrestles him to the ground.

Senegal work it wide, they win another corner. We've had five inside nine ninutes!

Senegal 0-0 Cameroon

17:07 , Matt Verri

6 mins: Matches between these two sides have rarely produced many goals, but it's been an open start. Cameroon win another corner, Diallo putting the ball behind under no pressure.

Headed up rather than away, Nouhou's volley is blocked.

Senegal 0-0 Cameroon

17:04 , Matt Verri

3 mins: It's all Cameroon so far, Sarr forced to scramble across and concede the corner.

Swung in too close to Mendy though, and he can come off his line to punch the ball away.

At the other end, Onana plays the ball straight out play... and then throws his arms in disgust at a team-mate. Hmmm.

Senegal 0-0 Cameroon

17:03 , Matt Verri

2 mins: Early free-kick for Cameroon, straight on the attack.

Whipped in from out wide, reaches the first man on the bounce. Less said about that the better.

KICK-OFF!

17:00 , Matt Verri

We're up and running!

Here we go!

16:56 , Matt Verri

Teams are out, time for the anthems.

Kick-off just a few minutes away...

Quite the entrance...

16:51 , Matt Verri

Not just those in the Senegal camp who are enjoying themselves.

The Cameroon players sung, danced and clapped their way into the stadium earlier this afternoon.

Atmosphere building!

16:47 , Matt Verri

No shortage of noise when the Senegal fans are involved...

World Cup qualifying underway

16:41 , Matt Verri

Qualifying for the 2026 World Cup began at the end of last year, and it was a mixed start for Senegal and Cameroon.

Senegal top Group B on goal difference, having beaten South Sudan but also drawn with Togo.

Cameroon also have four points - they eased past Mauritius and were then held to a draw by Libya.

Advantage Senegal?

16:31 , Matt Verri

It's only a few months since these two sides last faced each other.

They met in a friendly in October, with Sadio Mane's penalty the only goal of the match in Lens.

A nice confidence booster heading into this game...

In the building!

16:22 , Matt Verri

The Senegal players have been out having an early look at the pitch... and chatting. Mainly chatting.

One down, 15 to go!

16:16 , Matt Verri

The first team through to the last-16 is... Cape Verde!

Not sure many people expected that to be the case heading into the tournament.

Senegal will join them in the knockout stages if they beat Cameroon.

Aboubakar misses out again

16:08 , Matt Verri

So no Aboubakar as expected for Cameroon, with the striker still out with a thigh injury.

Onana does return in goal though, making his first appearance of the tournament after the travel chaos ahead of his country's opening match.

For Senegal, Diallo partners Koulibaly at the back and Tottenham's Sarr comes into midfield, having recovered from a hamstring scare.

Cameroon team news

16:02 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Onana, Castelletto, Wooh, Tchato, Tolo, Neyou, Kemen,Zambo, Nkoudou, Magri, Ngamaleu

Subs: Ondoa, Moukoudi, Toko Ekambi, Ateba, Tchamadeu, Gonzalez, Epassy, Yongwa, Moumbagna, Elliott, Ntcham, Mputu

Senegal team news

16:00 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Mendy, Diatta, Koulibaly, Diallo, Jakobs, Camara, Sarr, Gueye, Sarr, Diallo, Mane

Subs: Dieng, Gomis, Mendy, Seck, Gueye, Mendy, Jackson, Kouyate, Ciss, Ballo-Toure, Ndiaye, Diaw

Cisse: Cameroon are a competitive beast

15:50 , Matt Verri

Cameroon may have been a long way from their best in an opening draw with Guinea, but Senegal boss Aliou Cisse has warned his side they still face a tough test.

He said in his pre-match press conference: "Cameroon is still Cameroon. It’s a competitive beast. We know that.

"You should never bury the Cameroonians, because they’re capable of waking up over time, and we’ve come to realize that they’re capable of rising to any challenge.”

Elsewhere at AFCON...

15:40 , Matt Verri

Cape Verde are 3-0 up against Mozambique - they are going to be on six points after two matches in Group B!

That will see them through to the knockout stages already, while Egypt and Ghana still have work to do.

Senegal have the chance to join Cape Verde in the last-16 this evening.

Senegal full of confidence

15:32 , Matt Verri

Senegal are now on an eight-match unbeaten run in AFCON games.

That of course includes their success two years ago, when they went all the way and lifted the trophy in Cameroon.

Algeria in 2019 were the last team to beat Senegal in this tournament.

Adebayor: Onana has not respected Cameroon

15:22 , Matt Verri

Emmanuel Adebayor has criticised Andre Onana's conduct.

The Manchester United goalkeeper opted to stay in England to play for his club against Tottenham, and only then fly out for Cameroon's tournament opener, which came just 24 hours later.

Onana was further delayed by travel issues and did not make the squad, with Adebayor unimpressed by the situation.

"He did not respect Cameroon," Adebayor told Sport News Africa. ‘I was a player like him, and even being the most important player in my selection, I never acted in this way [arriving on the day of the match].

"The fact that this situation is happening shows that there is a problem, perhaps even within the federation.

"He risks losing big, because he has alienated the Cameroonian supporters, as well as many African supporters and undoubtedly certain members of the team."

Goals likely at a premium

15:08 , Matt Verri

In matches between Senegal and Cameroon, the last time both sides scored in the same match was 1982.

Four of the past seven meetings have been goalless, with the other three having just one goal each.

Doesn't bode particularly well...

Standard Sport prediction

14:59 , Matt Verri

Defending champions Senegal are in excellent form at the moment and have won four of their last five games, not conceding at all during an impressive stretch that included a 1-0 friendly win over Cameroon in Lens in October.

They are miserly at the back and proved against The Gambia that it's certainly not all on star forward Sadio Mane to carry the attacking burden.

Senegal look primed for another deep AFCON run and they will fancy their chances against a struggling Cameroon side that have drawn three in a row now, against Libya, Zambia and 10-man Guinea.

The Indomitable Lions - semi-finalists on home soil two years ago - desperately need the likes of Aboubakar back to give them a spark for a crucial fixture.

Senegal to win, 2-0.

Cameroon team news

14:51 , Matt Verri

Cameroon skipper Vincent Aboubakar is expected to be absent again, having missed out against Guinea with a thigh injury sustained during training last week.

Andre Onana will be back in the starting XI, having travelled to camp late as agreed after starting in Manchester United's Premier League win over Tottenham but being omitted from the squad to face Guinea altogether despite making the match in the nick of time after travel chaos.

Onana's cousin Fabrice Ondoa started between the posts for the five-time winners instead, but will make way here.

Cameroon are also without the likes of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo for the entire tournament due to injury, while Bayern Munich striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was not even selected by head coach Rigobert Song.

Predicted Cameroon XI: Onana; Yongwa, Wooh, Moukoudi, Castelletto; Zambo Anguissa, Kemen, Ntcham; Nkoudou, Ekambi, Magri

Senegal team news

14:45 , Matt Verri

The Lions of Teranga are not thought to be carrying any fresh injury concerns and seem unlikely to make too many changes.

That means Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson is expected to start on the bench once again.

Predicted Senegal XI: Mendy; Jakobs, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Diatta; Gueye, A Diallo, Camara; Mane, H Diallo, Sarr-

How to watch Senegal vs Cameroon

14:36 , Matt Verri

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. Kick-off is at 5pm GMT.

Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action right here with us!

Good afternoon!

14:31 , Matt Verri

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport's LIVE coverage of Senegal vs Cameroon!

Big, big match in Group C. Victory for Senegal and they will be through to the knockout stages already, and it would leave Cameroon in danger of going out.

We'll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 5pm GMT from Charles Konan Banny Stadium.