Senegal 4-1 Sudan, Nicolas Jackson opens the floodgates in Dakar

Paul Mendy steps onto the turf at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in the 86th minute, taking over for Nicolas Jackson as Senegal refresh their attack. With 67% of the ball in Dakar, the hosts have kept Sudan on the back foot while drawing 18 fouls and winning seven corners.

Senegal make a late switch in the 86th minute as Paul Mendy enters the pitch in place of Nicolas Jackson. In Dakar, the hosts have earned seven corners to Sudan's two and put five of their 13 shots on target. Sudan remain at two shots on goal while holding 33% of possession late in the second half.

Sudan make a late adjustment in the 82nd minute at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor as Musab Makeen comes off the bench for Mustafa Karshom. The visitors have committed 17 fouls to Senegal's 9 while trailing 13-3 in total shots and 7-2 in corners during a demanding second half in Dakar.

In the 80th minute at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Yasir Mozamil and Muataz Hashem enter for Sudan in place of Salaheldin Adil and Mo Eisa. Sudan make the double switch with 33% of the ball, having managed 3 shots and 2 on target compared to Senegal's 5.

Senegal refresh their lineup in the 75th minute at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, sending on Clayton Diandy and Pape Demba Diop for Ibrahim Mbaye and Dion Lopy. The hosts now command 68% of the ball and have outshot Sudan 13-2, with five of those efforts hitting the target compared to just one for the visitors.

Senegal make a change in the 71st minute at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar, bringing on Pape Matar Sarr in place of Boulaye Dia. The hosts hold 67% possession and a 12-2 advantage in shots over Sudan, who have been limited to one effort on target.

Sudan bring on Aamir Abdallah and Musa Ali Hussein in the 71st minute at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, replacing Walieldin Khidir and Al-Gozoli Nooh. The visitors make the double switch as Senegal hold a 7-2 advantage in corners and lead 5-1 in shots on target with 67% of the ball.

Approaching the 57th minute at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar, Senegal and Sudan are stretching play down the flanks to test both back lines. The hosts hold a 3-2 edge in corner kicks while Sudan have committed 14 fouls compared to just seven by Senegal to disrupt the rhythm.

Senegal 1-1 Sudan at the 52-minute mark. Senegal have controlled 63% of possession against Sudan's 37%, with the shot count at 8-1 (2-1 on target).

Nicolas Jackson put Senegal ahead in the 31st minute as the hosts controlled 63% possession and generated eight total shots, including seven inside the box. However, as reflected in the first-half statistical breakdown for Senegal vs Sudan, Sudan absorbed the pressure and leveled in the 45th minute through Mohamed Abuaagla off Walieldin Khidir's assist on their lone shot on target.

• Ball possession: Senegal 63% – 37% Sudan
• Total shots (on target): Senegal 8 (2) – 1 (1) Sudan
• Big chances: Senegal 3 – 1 Sudan
• Corners: Senegal 3 – 1 Sudan

Stoppages continue to fragment the closing stages of the opening period in Dakar as the foul count rises to 11 against Sudan and seven on Senegal. Approaching the 44th minute, the hosts protect their narrow advantage while keeping the visitors pinned back without a single shot in the first half.

Senegal keep pushing forward in the 37th minute at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, recording their eighth attempt of the half and second shot on target. Sudan are committing more bodies upfield with 34% possession, though they remain without a single shot while matching the hosts at seven fouls apiece.

Eight whistles have halted the rhythm through 26 minutes in Dakar, with Sudan conceding five fouls to Senegal's three while defending deep inside their half. Despite piling up six total shots and three corners off 66% possession, Senegal have yet to put an attempt on target against the visitors.

Senegal have added a third shot and drawn level at one corner apiece by the 17th minute, pinning Sudan inside their defensive third with 63% possession at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor. Neither side has tested the goalkeeper with a shot on target yet as six fouls continue to disrupt the build-up play in Dakar.

Senegal have firmly seized control of the midfield by the 11th minute, swinging possession to 66% in their favor and firing off two total shots while holding Sudan without an attempt. Four combined fouls have broken up the rhythm early on at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, with neither goalkeeper forced into a save yet.

Sudan have settled quickly at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, enjoying 58% of the ball through the opening five minutes and earning the first corner kick of the night. Despite holding just 42% possession so far, Senegal managed to register the match's first shot attempt while trading early fouls in midfield.

The starting XIs for Senegal and Sudan are lined up in the tunnel at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor and ready to walk out onto the pitch for kick-off.

On-pitch drills have concluded at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor as Senegal and Sudan return to the dressing rooms ahead of kick-off in AFCON 2027 Qualifiers. Match referee: Referee appointed by CAF.

Players from Senegal and Sudan are out on the pitch at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor completing their pre-match drills 20 minutes before kick-off.

We are 30 minutes away from kick-off between Senegal and Sudan at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in AFCON 2027 Qualifiers. Match referee: Referee appointed by CAF.

Senegal starting lineup (3-4-3): #1 Yehvann Diouf, #4 Sadibou Sané, #19 Moussa Niakhaté, #3 Kalidou Koulibaly, #20 Ibrahim Mbaye, #21 Dion Lopy, #8 Lamine Camara, #25 El Hadji Malick Diouf, #10 Iliman Ndiaye, #9 Boulaye Dia, #11 Nicolas Jackson. Substitutes: Lamine Sy, Pathé Mboup, Issa Soumaré, Paul Mendy, Mamour Ndiaye, Pape Matar Sarr, Clayton Diandy, Mory Diaw, Pape Demba Diop.

Sudan starting lineup (4-2-3-1): #16 Mohamed Mustafa, #22 Yaser Awad Boshara, #4 Abdelrahman Kuku, #6 Mustafa Karshom, #19 Ahmed Tabanja, #2 Mohamed Abuaagla, #5 Walieldin Khidir, #15 Salaheldin Adil, #8 Abdelrazig Omer, #7 Al-Gozoli Nooh, #11 Mo Eisa. Substitutes: Mustafa Abbaker, Yasir Mozamil, Aamir Abdallah, Musab Makeen, Muataz Tosa, Musa Ali Hussein, Mazen Bashir Simbo, Ahmed Hamed Mahmoud, Abo Eisa.

We're closing in on the official team sheets for Senegal vs Sudan. As soon as they're out, we'll post both lineups here, and the big questions are whether Vieira sticks with the back three he used in Ethiopia and who takes Gana Gueye's spot in midfield.

The quick recap: Senegal have 4 points and are unbeaten in five meetings with Sudan. Sudan have 3 points and would jump past the Lions with a win. Jackson and Mbaye have Senegal's two qualifying goals.

Kickoff is at 2 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. PT, at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar. Stay with us.

Édouard Mendy's retirement closed a long chapter in goal for Senegal, and Yehvann Diouf has stepped in. He started both September qualifiers and was beaten only once, by Catamo's stoppage-time equalizer in Maputo.

He was rarely tested. ESPN credits him with two saves across the two games, a number that says as much about Senegal's defensive structure as about his own form. Niakhaté and Sadibou Sané started in front of him both times.

Sudan's goalkeeper in Maputo, Mohamed Mustafa, had a very different evening. He conceded four times and was credited with one save, a reminder of how quickly things unraveled once Mozambique scored in the 24th minute.

Sudan's soccer history runs deeper than their recent results suggest. The Confederation of African Football was founded in Khartoum in February 1957, alongside the first Africa Cup of Nations, with Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia among the founding members.

In 1970, Khartoum hosted the tournament again, and Sudan won it, beating Ghana 1-0 in the final for their only continental title.

Today the national team plays its home games in Juba and leans heavily on players from Al Hilal and Al Merrikh. That backdrop makes their run to the AFCON knockout rounds last winter, and their opening win over Ethiopia in September, all the more notable.

Keep an eye on the other half of this group. Mozambique took a point off Senegal and then thumped Sudan, both results coming at Estádio do Zimpeto within four days.

The Mambas have spread their goals around. Geny Catamo scored against Senegal, and Chamito Alfândega, Witi and Guima all found the net against Sudan. They have started the same 4-2-3-1 shape in both games, with Ernani in goal and Faisal Bangal leading the line.

That consistency is why neither Senegal nor Sudan can treat tonight as a two-team race. Whoever drops points in Dakar risks handing Mozambique control of the group.

Official lineups are still to come. For reference, here are the most recent starting elevens recorded by ESPN, which are not projections for tonight.

In Ethiopia, Vieira went with a 3-4-3: Yehvann Diouf in goal; Niakhaté, Malang Sarr and Sadibou Sané at the back; El Hadji Malick Diouf, Lamine Camara, Pape Gueye and Ibrahim Mbaye across the middle; Sima, Jackson and Assane Diao up front. In Maputo, four days earlier, he had used a 4-2-3-1 with Lamine Sy at right back and Pape Matar Sarr in the No. 10 role.

Appiah's Sudan lined up 4-2-3-1 in Mozambique: Mohamed Mustafa; Sheddy Barglan, Mohamed Hakeem, Mustafa Karshoum, Ahmed Yousif; Walieldin Khidir, Ammar Taifour, Abdel Raouf; Musa Hussien, Aamir Abdallah; Mohamed Eisa.

Tonight's venue carries the name of Léopold Sédar Senghor, the poet who became Senegal's first president after independence. The stadium sits in Dakar itself, while Senegal's last home game against Sudan, in September 2025, was played at Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio, outside the capital.

It is also Vieira's first competitive game in charge on home soil. The two September qualifiers were in Maputo and Bahir Dar, and the October friendly was in Comoros.

Sudan, meanwhile, have become used to playing away from their own supporters. Their designated home ground in this campaign is in Juba, South Sudan, where they beat Ethiopia in September.