Kalidou Koulibaly suspension leaves Senegal facing AFCON 2025 last-16 test without defensive leader

Senegal will be without one of their most experienced players for the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 after Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off in their final Group C match against Benin in Morocco.

The Al Hilal defender received a red card in the second half of Senegal’s 3-0 victory on Tuesday, ruling him out of the knockout fixture despite the Teranga Lions advancing as group winners with a perfect record.

Koulibaly was dismissed following a challenge in which he stamped on the foot of a Benin player, with the referee upgrading his initial decision after a VAR review.

His suspension comes at a delicate stage of the tournament, depriving Senegal head coach Aliou Cissé of a commanding presence at the heart of defence. Koulibaly has been a cornerstone of Senegal’s success over the past decade and remains one of the leaders in a squad targeting a deep run in the competition.

The sending-off also added an unfortunate note to what was otherwise a landmark appearance for the centre-back.

Koulibaly reached 100 international caps during the match, becoming only the third player in Senegal’s history to hit that milestone, behind Idrissa Gueye and Sadio Mané.

It marked the second red card of Koulibaly’s international career, the first having come in a World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso in 2017. He has also been dismissed once at club level this season with Al Hilal, underlining a disciplinary issue that has resurfaced at a crucial moment.

Senegal will now need to reshuffle defensively for the round of 16, leaning on squad depth and organisation to compensate for the absence of their defensive leader as the tournament enters its decisive phase.