Lamine Camara stole the show with a brilliant brace as Senegal roared back into their Africa Cup of Nations title defence with a dominant 3-0 victory over 10-man Gambia in Yamoussoukro on Monday.
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Senegal, aiming to become the first team to retain the AFCON crown since Egypt’s three-peat (2006-2010), showed flashes of the quality that carried them to glory two years ago, despite fielding a largely new starting XI.
Youngster Camara emerged as the undisputed star, silencing Gambian hopes with a clinical double that underlined Senegal’s attacking prowess.
Gambia, already facing an uphill battle after a turbulent pre-tournament build-up, were further handicapped by Ebou Adams’s red card shortly before halftime. Despite mounting spirited challenges, they ultimately succumbed to the Lions of Teranga’s superior firepower.
Senegal asserted their dominance early, breaking the deadlock in the fourth minute through Pape Gueye’s tidy finish from Sadio Mane’s clever lay-off.
Musa Barrow’s curling free-kick almost restored parity, but the tide turned against Gambia with Adams’s reckless dismissal, leaving them vulnerable and depleted.
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