Senegal and the Central African Republic settled for a 1-1 draw in their opening Group C match at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted in Egypt.
The game, held on Friday afternoon at Suez Stadium, offered moments of quality but ultimately ended with both teams sharing the spoils in a closely contested affair.
Senegal opened the scoring early in the second half through Cheihk T. Thiam, who found the back of the net in the 49th minute to put the Young Teranga Lions ahead.
The goal came shortly after halftime and looked set to provide the platform for Senegal to control the match.
However, the Central African Republic fought back strongly and were rewarded for their persistence in the 74th minute when Diogene Pengazonia equalized, capitalizing on a good spell of pressure.
That goal marked a significant moment in the match, shifting momentum and leaving Senegal with no easy route to reclaiming the lead.
There were numerous substitutions on both sides as the coaches sought to influence the outcome, but neither team managed to break the deadlock again.
With the result, both teams collected one point and sit jointly atop Group C, ahead of Ghana and DR Congo, who are yet to play.
Senegal’s next match is against Ghana on May 5 while the Central African Republic will take on the DR Congo.
