Unused Abdallah Sima's Rangers absence prolonged as Senegal make light work of AFCON group

Marseille striker Ismaila Sarr starred as defending Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal eased their way into the last 16 with a 3-1 win over Cameroon.

Sarr’s deflected strike gave his side a 16th-minute lead and it was he who set up fellow frontman Habib Diallo after the break before Sadio Mane cemented victory at Stade Charles Konan Banny in stoppage time to guarantee his side’s progression from Group C. Cameroon responded belatedly when Jean-Charles Castelletto powered home a header from Olivier Ntcham’s 83rd-minute cross and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou has guilty of a glaring miss before Mane scored, but Rigobert Song’s men will head into Tuesday’s final group fixture against Gambia with just a single point to their name.

The result also means that Rangers will now be without their forward Abdallah Sima until the start of next month at least. The last 16 of the competition takes place in the final week of January, with Senegal expected to reach the latter stages of the competition. Sima – an unused substitute in Senegal’s opening match – was not even named among the substitutes for the victory in Yamoussoukro but could be utilised if manager Aliou Cisse decides to rotate his squad for the match against Guinea on Tuesday.

Senegal were comfortable winners over Cameroon at AFCON.

In Group B, Cape Verde became the first team to qualify for the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-0 victory over Mozambique.

Bebe’s extraordinary free-kick and a brace from Ryan Mendes in Abidjan guaranteed that the Blue Sharks will top their pool. Mozambique now lie bottom of the section with one point ahead of their final group game against Ghana, while Cape Verde meet Egypt on Monday.

Cape Verde, fresh from their shock opening victory over Ghana, impressed from the early exchanges. Deroy Duarte forced an athletic save from Mozambique goalkeeper Ernan Siluane and the Fortuna Sittard midfielder also sent a diving header just wide of a post. Bebe crashed a dipping 30-yard free-kick against the crossbar, but the former Manchester United striker was not to be denied from an even greater distance. There appeared little danger as Bebe stood over a free-kick fully 40 yards out, but his swerving shot bamboozled Siluane who could only palm the ball into the net.

Mozambique caused few alarms until Witi’s tame effort straight at Vozinha, but the Mambas appeared to be handed a route back into the contest five minutes before the break. Geny Catamo went down under a challenge from two defenders and a penalty was awarded before referee Samir Guezzaz was summoned to the VAR monitor and reversed his decision.

Mendes doubled the Blue Sharks’ advantage after 51 minutes by dispossessing the dawdling Edmilson Dove and firing home from the edge of the box. Catamo clipped the crossbar with a curling free-kick with Mozambique’s best effort but their hopes were ended in spectacular style. Mendes was given time and space to tee off from 25 yards, and his thumping drive whistled past Siluane for his 17th international goal and put the seal on a commanding performance.