Senegal Held to Draw by Sudan, Squandering Opportunity to Lead Qualifying Group

Senegal faced a challenging match without several pivotal players, resulting in a 0-0 draw against Sudan on Saturday. This outcome meant that they could not seize the opportunity to overtake their opponents for the top spot in their World Cup qualifying group.

Sudan currently leads Group B with 11 points from five matches, edging out the Democratic Republic of Congo by one point and Senegal by two. Senegal has managed to secure three draws in their five fixtures.

The absence of Premier League stars Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye, along with Ligue 1 striker Habib Diarra, left Sadio Mane isolated in attack as the team sought the victory that would elevate them to the top of the group.

Played under neutral circumstances in Benghazi, Libya—due to the ongoing civil unrest in Sudan—Sudan had the most promising opportunity of the match, but Walieldin Khdir squandered a golden chance from close range in the 75th minute.

Earlier on Saturday, Togo’s Kevin Denkey, who has recently signed with an MLS club in the U.S., scored an equaliser in the 69th minute to help his team secure a 2-2 draw at home against Mauritania.

This result left both Togo and Mauritania still seeking their first win in Group B, with Togo sitting fourth on four points and Mauritania trailing in fifth with just two.

The two matches on Saturday marked the halfway point in the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

A sixth round of qualifiers is scheduled to take place from Sunday through Tuesday, with four more matchdays to follow in September and October.

The top team from each of the nine African groups will secure a place in next year’s tournament across Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., while the four best-performing runners-up will vie for an additional place in the finals.