Football
2017 Africa Nations Cup, Group Stage 2017
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PA Sport 7y

Senegal advance to ANC quarterfinals by beating Zimbabwe

Senegal sailed into the quarterfinals of the African Nations Cup with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe.

Goals from Sadio Mane and Henri Saivet ensured the 2002 finalists would progress from Group B with their final match against Algeria to spare, but the margin of victory should have been much larger.

Senegal, who defeated Tunisia in their opening Group B match, started very brightly and twice went close to scoring through Keita Balde and Mame Biram Diouf before Liverpool's Mane put them ahead after nine minutes.

Senegal won the ball back in midfield with Keita, who sent Saivet free down the left. His shot across the goalkeeper was going wide but the ball rolled perfectly into the path of Mane at the far post to tap into an empty net for his second goal of the tournament.

Senegal had only to wait four more minutes to extend their lead as Saivet whipped a lovely curling free-kick over the defensive wall and into the net from 25 yards out.

Zimbabwe had great chance to equalise as half-time approached but Khama Billiat shot tamely at the goalkeeper.

Diouf spurned a glorious opportunity to score a third goal four minutes after the restart but blazed his left-foot shot over the crossbar. The Stoke striker was then denied by a good piece of goalkeeping from Tatenda Mukuruva shortly afterwards as he raced out to block.

Mukuruva saved his team again midway through the second half as he denied Mane a second goal with another good block, before Costa Nhamoinesu headed Mane's lobbed follow-up away from just in front of his own goal line.

Nyasha Mushekwi stung the palms of Senegal goalkeeper Abdoulaye Diallo and Billiat quickly curled an effort narrowly wide as Zimbabwe threatened.

Moussa Sow and Mane got in each other's way as a good chance went begging before Mukuruva saved to deny Sow and Keita in quick succession in the closing stages.

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