Holders Senegal began their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with victory over 10-man underdogs The Gambia.
Pape Gueye gave the Teranga Lions the ideal start, collecting Sadio Mane’s pass to fire in a fourth-minute opener from inside the penalty area.
Cardiff City midfielder Ebou Adams was dismissed for The Gambia for an off-the ball challenge just before half-time.
Lamine Camara doubled Senegal’s lead with a low finish after the break and curled in a classy third from distance.
With Cameroon held by 10-man Guinea in the other Group C match on Monday, Senegal’s fourth win of a five-match unbeaten run gave Aliou Cisse’s side early control of the group as they kept a fifth successive clean sheet.
The Gambia, whose Fifa ranking of 126th is the lowest of any team involved in the tournament in the Ivory Coast, threatened first when Edouard Mendy beat away Alasana Manneh’s fierce left-footed attempt from distance.
After Gueye’s opener, Habib Diallo also went close for Senegal, while Musa Barrow and Ali Sowe sent first-half efforts wide for The Gambia.
Despite Adams’ dismissal, via the video assistant referee, in first-half stoppage time, the underdogs almost equalised early in the second period but for a flying Mendy save to deny Barrow.
After Camara doubled Senegal’s advantage, Gambia goalkeeper Baboucarr Gaye produced a fine stop to prevent Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson from scoring off the bench, and Ismail Jakobs also fired wide from a tight angle.
Camara’s second owed much to a flourish of trickery from Iliman Ndiaye on the right, as he demonstrated masterful control to toy with his markers and angle a low pass back to the Metz midfielder, whose right-footed strike from outside the box arced over Gaye and into the far corner of the net.
Senegal will return to Yamoussoukro’s Charles Konan Banny Stadium to meet Cameroon in their second group-stage match on Friday (17:00 GMT).
Tom Saintfiet’s Gambia will attempt to end a run of three successive defeats against Guinea – the team they beat to reach the quarter-finals against the odds at Afcon 2021 – in the subsequent game at the same venue (20:00 GMT).
Line-ups
Senegal
Formation 4-3-3
- 16Mendy
- 15Diatta
- 3Koulibaly
- 19NiakhatéSubstituted forSeckat 81′minutes
- 14Jakobs
- 25CamaraBooked at 90mins
- 22DialloBooked at 9minsSubstituted forCissat 58′minutes
- 26GueyeSubstituted forMendyat 78′minutes
- 18SarrSubstituted forNdiayeat 78′minutes
- 20DialloSubstituted forJacksonat 58′minutes
- 10Mané
Substitutes
- 1Gomis
- 2Mendy
- 4Seck
- 5Gueye
- 6Mendy
- 7Jackson
- 8Kouyaté
- 11Ciss
- 13Ndiaye
- 17Sarr
- 23Diaw
- 24Sima
Gambia
Formation 4-3-2-1
- 18Gaye
- 17Janko
- 12Gomez
- 5Colley
- 13TouraySubstituted forFaderaat 75′minutes
- 16MannehSubstituted forBarryat 66′minutes
- 8AdamsBooked at 45mins
- 24DarboeSubstituted forCeesayat 83′minutes
- 20MintehSubstituted forSanyangat 83′minutes
- 10Barrow
- 26SoweSubstituted forBadamosiat 66′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Jobe
- 2Barry
- 4Ngum
- 6Marreh
- 7Fadera
- 9Ceesay
- 11Sanyang
- 14Sonko Sundberg
- 15Mendy
- 21Sanneh
- 23Badamosi
- 25Sanneh
Live Text
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Match ends, Senegal 3, Gambia 0.
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Second Half ends, Senegal 3, Gambia 0.
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Foul by Nicolas Jackson (Senegal).
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James Gomez (Gambia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Gambia. Alieu Fadera is caught offside.
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Lamine Camara (Senegal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Lamine Camara (Senegal).
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Musa Barrow (Gambia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Senegal. Sadio Mané is caught offside.
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Corner, Senegal. Conceded by Assan Ceesay.
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Ismail Jakobs (Senegal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Assan Ceesay (Gambia).
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Krépin Diatta (Senegal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Abdoulie Sanyang (Gambia).
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Attempt missed. Muhammed Badamosi (Gambia) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Musa Barrow following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Nampalys Mendy (Senegal).
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Assan Ceesay (Gambia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Abdoulaye Seck (Senegal) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Lamine Camara with a cross following a corner.
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Attempt blocked. Nampalys Mendy (Senegal) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ismail Jakobs.
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Corner, Senegal. Conceded by Assan Ceesay.