Senegal show their spurs in impressive opener

Senegal wasted little time in getting onto the scoresheet and went on to a 4-0 romp over the Democratic Republic of Congo to signal their intent at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco on Sunday.

After the opening Group A match between the home country and Zambia ended 2-2 in Rabat on Saturday, it was the turn of Senegal to show their stuff on the tournament stage and they have taken top place in the group standings after the first round of matches.

Mama Diop and Nguenar Ndiaye scored two each as Senegal were 4-0 ahead at half-time and were able to give their substitutes a chance in the second half.

Diop hit a right-footed shot from outside the box to net the opener after only eight minutes at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammédia.

Five minutes later it was 2-0 with a long ball from the defence finding Nguenar Ndiaye, who went round the goalkeeper and despite stumbling was able to finish with aplomb.

A ball over the top of the defence saw Diop beat the offside trap for the third goal in the 22nd minute and Ndiaye got her second with a glancing header five minutes before the break.

The Congolese tightened their defence after the break but Senegal should have had a fifth goal in the 73rd minute but substitute Safiétou Sagna’s close range header was tipped onto the crossbar by DRC goalkeeper Fideline Ngoy.

Later on Sunday, the opening two matches in Group B will get underway with first Nigeria taking on Tunisia and then Algeria playing Botswana, both in Casablanca.