Gloom for Kenya as Stars fail to shine against Mane-led Senegal

Senegal players celebrate one of their goals against Kenya during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group C football match. [AFP]

Senegal produced a stellar perfomance in the second half to see off Kenya 3-0 in the final Group C match and reach the last 16 as group runners up after Algeria at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo yesterday.

Ismaila Sarr scored Senegal’s first goal in the 63rd minute after first-half hero Patrick Matasi was found in no man’s land as a teasing cross came in Kenya’s box.

Matasi misjudged his run and fell on defender Philemon Otieno as the ball fell for Sarr who calmly slotted home to give Senegal the lead.

Senegal were not done yet when Sadio Mane outmuscled Musa Mohammed to beat Matasi with a low drive in the 71st minute.

Senegal completed the route in the 78th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Otieno clattered into Sarr to earn a second yellow.

Mane made amend for his first-half penalty miss when he scored from the spot to give the Lions of Teranga a convincing win.

Harambee Stars started strongly in the first 10 minutes pinning the Lions of Teranga in their half but created very little to unsettle the West Africans.

Matasi saved Sadio Mane’s weak poor penalty in the 26th minute and another brilliant save from Sarr to hold Senegal in the first half of their final group game.

In the 9th minute, Olunga failed to take advantage of a defensive mix up between Kalidou Koulibaly and Cheikhou Kouyate when his effort went wide with Gomis beaten.

For the better part of the second half, Olunga cut alone figure upfront with the introduction of John Avire having little effect as Kenya were reduced to 10 men in the final 14 minutes.

In another Group C match, Algeria beat Tanzania 3-0 to finish the top of the group with nine points.

Kenya will now have to wait to see what happens in Group E and F to find out if they have a mathematical chance of progressing to the Knockout stage.