Senegal books place at Under 20 World Cup

The African Under-20 championship hosts, Senegal, secured the fourth and remaining 2015 Fifa World Cup place with a dramatic 4-3 win over Congo in their last Group A match.

Senegal will join fellow semi-finalists Ghana, Mali and Nigeria at the Under-20 World Cup later this year in New Zealand. Both Ghana and Mali came from behind to secure the wins that saw both nations qualify. Their Group B victories also earned them a place in the semi-finals of the African Under-20 Championship in Senegal. Mali overcame South Africa 2-1 while Ghana beat Zambia by the same score line.

Substitute Hamidou Traore, who plays his football in Turkey, proved to be the key man for Mali as he scored twice to cancel out Motjeka Madisha’s opening goal for South Africa.
In the second game of the day Zambia took the lead after just two minutes through Dave Daka before Ghana equalised midway through the first half thanks to a goal from Abraham Attobrah. Ghana’s Black Satellites left it late for their winner with substitute Samuel Afful scoring with just five minutes left on the clock.

Nigeria beat Congo 4-1 in their second Group A match to book a place in the last four. Captain Musa Muhamed scored a brace whilst Ifeanyi Matthew and Taiwo Awoniyi were also on target for the Flying Eagles.

A goal from Sidy Sarr in the dying seconds gave Senegal their first ever victory in the competition and also helped them progress to the semi-finals of the African championship.