Senegal will play a third-placed team in Bafoussam next Tuesday. Guinea, also in Bafoussam, will play Gambia, Mali or Tunisia. Malawi will ... let’s see.
Morocco play Gabon tonight and Ghana face Comoros as Group C winds up. But that’ll do from me for now. Thanks for reading, as ever, and take care!
Zimbabwe have beaten Guinea 2-1. It means little for them, but for a sluggish Senegal it means winning the group even if their only goal was a sketchy 97th minute penalty in the first game. Malawi, who are more proof that Africa’s supposed minnows can match the best, come third. It is a fairly good bet that the Flames will make it to the last 16, but they must wait a couple of days.
Full time – Malawi 0-0 Senegal
Senegal get away with one, really, as it was a really tight-looking call to overturn Malawi’s penalty award with VAR. But get away with it they do, and once the other game is over in a minute all two I’ll tell you what it all means.
90+1 min: We will see three added minutes.
90 min: A deep cross from the left goes beyond Mane, who has been peripheral at best overall.
89 min: Now Mbulu goes off on a stretcher too, and again I’m fairly sure he will walk back on. Given it is still 2-1 to Zimbabwe in Yaounde everyone should soon be fairly happy ... but that overturned penalty will be a big talking point.
86 min: Chance for Diedhiou! The ex-Bristol City man chests a long pass down expertly before volleying straight at Thom. Good technique from the big striker but no finish.
85 min: Concern for Malawi as Chester, who only recently came on, is stretchered off. Seems to be on his feet now though and I think we’ll see him again. Meanwhile Ballo-Toure comes on for Ciss.
83 min: A corner to Senegal. Malawi do not deserve to concede here, at the least they merit a spot in that third-place shakedown. Sarr swings it across ... and beyond everyone.
81 min: A Sarr cross is straight to Thom. It’s still quite open here, it’s not been awful as nil-nils go.
80 min: Idana goes off and Ngalande on for Malawi, while a Senegal player receives treatment.
77 min: Play restarts with a drop ball, which suggests the ref thought Chirwa had dived. I think Malawi have been very hard done here. VAR sucks the joy out of so much, it’s for people who don’t like football very much.
No penalty to Malawi after all!
Ah, hold your horses, did Sarr’s challenge start outside the box? The ref has gone to his screen to check, which is never the best sign ... and the decision is overturned! Was that really clear and obvious! Malawi are furious! I think it was really borderline.
Penalty to Malawi!
My, my, my! Mhango makes ground and finds the overlapping left-back Chirwa ... who goes down under Sarr’s challenge after initially hesitating! This could win Malawi the group!
73 min: Chance for Pape Gueye immediately! He makes a late, untracked run onto Sarr’s cross but heads well wide. It was a decent chance. At the other end Mbulu lashes well over from range. At least both sides are having a go, still, even though the score suits them.
Updated
72 min: Mhango wants a penalty after being barged by Abdou Diallo, but I don’t think that will come to much. Senegal seek a spark witk two more changes – Diedhiou and Pape Gueye replace Dia and Mendy.
69 min: Now Malawi do wreak some minor havoc, Koulibaly making a vital interception from a right-sided cross and Mendy flinging himself at the ball to punch away as it loops up.
68 min: It helps that Senegal’s possession has largely been guileless; certainly doesn’t feel as if they’ve dominated it to that extent despite their second-half improvement. Here are two Malawi subs, Mbulu and Chester replacing Mhone and Muyaba.
66 min: According to the stats, Malawi have had just 22% of the possession but the teams have had seven attempts each, which tells you their gameplan has worked pretty well.
64 min: Malawi aren’t offering a lot going forward at the moment. It’ll be a long way back if they concede now and they’ll know the point puts them in a good position to qualify, so caution may be the name of the game from here.
62 min: At this point you’d back Senegal to score, but we’ve already seen they can have long periods where they just drift and they need to avoid another.
60 min: The corner is dealt with, and then Dieng comes on for Habib Diallo in Senegal’s first change.
59 min: Chaziya is booked after sending Mane tumbling near the left byline. Senegal have their latest chance to load the box, and it’s a great position. After a long wait and a squeeze of the 10-yard aerosol from the ref, it’s driven in by Gueye ... and tipped over by Thom!
56 min: It’s a pleasantly open start to this half, both sides having counters snuffed out. Malawi are certainly being asked a lot more questions now.
54 min: Up the other end, it’s another free-kick for Senegal ... and a free header for Abdou Diallo, who plants it over! They’ve had two great chances in this half now.
53 min: Malawi come forward now and earn a free-kick but Chirwa (I think) makes an awful hash of it.
51 min: Game on in Yaounde, where Naby Keita has scored a belting solo goal for Guinea! They are 2-1 down now ... so another goal for them and they’d win the group on goals scored.
51 min: Senegal have come out as if handed a rocket by Aliou Cisse. They have another corner and the big guns are up, but Koulibaly can’t control it when it reaches him beyond the far post.
49 min: Gueye is alright and Senegal have a free-kick on the left, in a decent area. It’s sent in at the second time of asking from Ciss ... and that’s a good save from Thom! Koulibaly flicks it on, Habib Diallo redirects it and the keeper readjusts his feet to tip over magnificently. Malawi survive the resulting corner and that is as close as Senegal have come.
Updated
46 min: As in the first half, Senegal come forward immediately but Malawi smuggle the ball away when it comes in. Gueye will need some treatment after a challenge from Sanudi.
Peeeeep! Second half underway
We’ll know soon, because here we go ...
The players are back out for the second half. Will Senegal step things up a notch? Will Malawi’s good work come to count for even more?
A Fiver for your half-time delectation:
Half-time: Malawi 0-0 Senegal
Mane had an early opportunity but since then Malawi have been the better, sharper, more threatening side. This outcome looks fine for both teams at the moment but Senegal have been disappointing.
45+1 min: Malawi get another corner but, not for the first time, can’t threaten.
45 min: Not that this is really going to matter by the looks of it – Zimbabwe, who have nothing to play for, are two up against Guinea! It’s a well-struck drive from Mahachi, but the keeper should have done better. Senegal, as if spurred by that, then have a shot blocked in the box. Unless Malawi score they are winning this group.
Updated
44 min: When they do try and get going, Diallo switches accurately towards Sarr ... who miscontrols.
43 min: Still next to nothing coming from Senegal. They have a creative problem in the middle, it’s clear, and it feels like we’ve said that for a while now.
41 min: Less accurate from Sanudi there, who crosses beyond everyone, but the buildup was again smart.
39 min: Malawi come yet again through the rampaging left-back Chirwa, whose cross has to be tipped over by Mendy. They look really sharp, fair play to them. Mendy fumbles the corner at first but then, after a kind rebound, gathers the ball.
Updated
38 min: Chance for Mhango! He gets beyond Koulibaly, who has had an uncharacteristically bad half and clearly isn’t sharp after his Covid absence, and tries to round Mendy but is crowded out at the last!
36 min: Ciss miscues a cross horribly out of play and that rather sums Senegal up for far.
35 min: Wouldn’t be a gross exaggeration to say Malawi have played the better football since the opening minutes. Senegal just haven’t got going after that chance for Mane. Malawi win another corner now but can’t make much of it.
Updated
33 min: Close! Mhango’s free-kick is deflected *just* wide while Malawi scream that it came off an arm. Nothing doing, but they get a corner ... which is totally wasted after they try to play it short.
Updated
32 min: Malawi, who are playing well, win a free-kick in shooting range ...
30 min: Now then! Zimbabwe have taken the lead against Guinea in Yaounde, which is quite a surprise. It was a bullet header by Musona from a corner, and means Senegal now occupy top spot.
28 min: Sarr, Senegal’s attacking right-back, has been Senegal’s biggest threat so far and wins a dangerous free-kick on the right. Gueye puts it in but Mane’s far-post header is easy for Thom.
26 min: Long way to go but, if both games finished like this, Senegal and Guinea would have identical records and I am fairly sure the group winners would be determined by the drawing of lots. Someone correct me if I’m wrong!
24 min: Sanudi tries another long throw but doesn’t get much on it and, in any case, Senegal are awarded a free-kick in their own box.
23 min: A wild 45-yard Malawi free-kick is hit several goals high.
21 min: Senegal have totally faded after their bright start but do find another glimmer down that right side, only for the cross – I didn’t see who by – to be wastefully hit straight to Thom.
Updated
20 min: He’s in the wars again after being caught by an arm from Kouyate ... who is booked and, in a blow for Senegal, will now miss their round of 16 tie.
18 min: Mhango needed treatment after that, which will be a concern, but the physio gives Malawi’s bench a thumbs-up. He scored twice against Zimbabwe and has looked sharp here so far – they need him.
17 min: Malawi dangerman Mhango cracks a tremendous shot just over from 22 yards after sloppy play from Koulibaly, who moments earlier the same player had almost beaten to a long through ball. That was close, and Malawi look enterprising here.
Updated
15 min: Goalless in the Guinea-Zimbabwe game so far, by the way, and little has happened there as far as I can tell.
13 min: It’s a decent start here but, as with Cameroon v Cape Verde yesterday, I wonder if there’ll come a point where everyone is OK with a draw if things remain tied for long.
11 min: A long throw for Malawi, launched in by Sanudi, is headed away and so is his subsequent cross. The Flames are firing the ball around quite nicely when they get the chance, and when they come forward again Mendy gives towards and completely misses a diagonal cross. No harm results, luckily for him. Shortly afterwards Koulibaly makes a big block deep inside his own box. This is 129th in the world against 20th but there’s no real sign of that yet.
8 min: Mane dinks over Thom, the goalkeeper, but also over the top after a smart move down the right opens Malawi up. Thomu takes a knock for his trouble, having some out bravely to block, and is having treatment. He’ll be OK. Good football from Senegal there and a nice tempo so far.
Updated
5 min: Diallo heads well wide after being located by a Sarr cross from the right. He was a good 18 yards out so it would have been some achievement to threaten with that.
4 min: Malawi look as if they’ll try to press from the front. They were pretty ambitious in their opening two games too.
3 min: Peter Oh likes Malawi’s nickname, the Flames, as do I.
“Interesting nickname that Malawi have got there. It’s a good thing for Senegal that they will likely go through to the knockout rounds no matter what. If they needed a result to qualify, their campaign could potentially have gone down in Flames today.”
1 min: It comes to nothing but that was the kind of intent Senegal need to emerge with.
Peeeeep! Off we go!
Senegal, all in white, kick off against the red-clad Malawi and begin at pace, winning a corner ...
Over in Yaounde ...
History maker.#Rwanda's Salima Mukansanga becomes the first woman to referee at the men's Africa Cup of Nations as #TeamGuinea face #TeamZimbabwe - #AFCON2021
— Nick Cavell BBC Africa (@BBC_NickCavell) January 18, 2022
Capacities for non-Cameroon games are capped at 60% for now, while you have to be vaccinated against Covid and that’s a big problem in most of Africa, but attendances do seem to be picking up after a very sluggish start and it’s a decent atmosphere as the teams come out and sing the anthems.
Updated
Guinea v Zimbabwe will happen simultaneously to this game; I’ll have half an eye on it for you. Guinea are, like Senegal, pretty much guaranteed to go through but will have a great chance of winning the group – a bit of a surprise if it happens – if they beat their already-eliminated opponents.
Sadio Mane watch: not overly involved so far this AFCON, but did score the last-gasp penalty that saw off Zimbabwe. No need for him to explode into life til the latter stages, you’d think, but if Senegal do go all the way he’ll have to be a major reason.
Familiarise yourself with Mario Marinica, the man in Malawi’s hot seat, via this brilliant interview by Dave Hytner. It’s some story:
Senegal team
📋✅ Le onze de départ du Sénégal contre le Malawi #MWISEN#TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 #AFCON2021 #TeamSenegal pic.twitter.com/PQLWEzQ5qo
— FSF (@Fsfofficielle) January 18, 2022
Familiar names in here. Edouard Mendy, named the world’s best keeper last night, is back!
Malawi team
#MALSEN
— FA Malawi (@FaMalawi) January 18, 2022
Flames Line Up#AFCON2021 #TeamMalawi #TeamSenegal pic.twitter.com/0QMZSc8QKW
Hi all
The group stage finales roll onwards and we’ve a tasty one for you this afternoon. Senegal are tipped by many to finally win their first AFCON title this year but they’ve got a job to do in Bafoussam first. If they don’t beat Malawi they probably won’t win Group B, and even then they need to improve on Guinea’s score against Zimbabwe. They should get an easier last-16 tie if they come top of the pile so there’ll be no snoozing today – it’s not been a sparkling showing from Sadio Mane and company so far, but it feels as if we’re due one.
Malawi are no slouches though. They lost narrowly to Guinea and turned around a deficit to beat Zimbabwe, who are now eliminated. Some of their attacking football have been pretty fun. They’re guaranteed at least third place but I doubt they’ll make it through as one of the four best teams in that position unless they finish with four points. It mean a draw, at least, today is vital for them.
Stay with us for the buildup and then, of course, for the match itself! Emails and tweets can flood in to the addresses above – love to hear about your experience of AFCON so far.
