Senegal boosted their hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Kenya in their Group A clash at the Rabat Olympic Stadium on Thursday.
The Lionesses of Teranga went into the encounter under pressure after opening their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Algeria, knowing anything short of victory would leave their qualification hopes hanging by a thread. Kenya were also desperate for a positive result after suffering a heavy 4-0 loss to hosts Morocco in their tournament opener.
However, it was Senegal who found the breakthrough in the 35th minute through Seynabou Mbengue, whose strike proved decisive in a closely contested encounter.
The goal came from a well-crafted attacking move as Ndèye Awa Casset received a perfectly weighted pass behind the Kenyan defence. The forward displayed excellent composure to evade her marker before squaring the ball for Mbengue, who fired into the net to hand Senegal the lead.
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Kenya responded with greater urgency after the break and pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but the Harambee Starlets were unlucky in front of goal, hitting the bar twice, while missing some other big chances. The East Africans failed to score for the second consecutive match, leaving them with another disappointing defeat.
The victory gives Senegal their first three points of the tournament and keeps their hopes of a place in the quarter-finals alive. The Lionesses remain third in Group A, behind Algeria and Morocco on goal difference ahead of a huge meeting between the two North African sides.
For Kenya, the defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the standings without a point and on the brink of elimination. Their qualification hopes are now out of their hands, and their fate could potentially be sealed before they face Algeria in their final group match.
Senegal will conclude their group-stage campaign against tournament hosts Morocco on Monday, August 3, in a decisive fixture that could determine whether they progress to the knockout rounds.
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