Senegal achieved a major milestone today when they beat Uganda 2-0 in Group A at the 2022 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, to record their first ever win in the history of the competition.

In a hard-fought match, Mame Moussa Cissé’s Teranga Lionesses beat the Ugandans after scoring a goal in each half.

Diakhaté Ndeye opened the scoring for the Senegalese team with a penalty in the 39th minute after Tunisian referee Dorsaf Ganouati had no hesitation in pointing to the spot after a foul on Senegal’s 16-year-old striker Hapsatou Diallo.

Uganda could have equalised a few minutes later through their dangerous Kazakhstan-based striker, Fauzia Najjema, but Lionesses goalkeeper Tenning Sene brilliantly denied Najjema and the Cranes.

Pre-match favourites Uganda laid siege to the Senegal goal, with Najjema hitting the post in the 32nd minute, but somehow Senegal retained their 1-0 lead at half-time.

Senegal doubled their lead through Nguenar Ndiaye five minutes after the break, who finished clinically after being put through by the young rising star of Senegalese football, Hapsatou Diallo.

The goal was a huge blow to the Crested Cranes, who desperately tried to get back in the game to no avail.

Lionesses goalkeeper, Tenning Sene, may have been a peripheral figure for Senegal in the build up to the tournament, but she grabbed her chance brilliantly to be named “Woman of the Match” after a scintillating performance in goal for Senegal.

The 2-0 win for Senegal gives them top spot in Group A, as they leapfrog Morocco, who they join on three points.

Soka25east.com