Senegal seal final African spot at New Zealand 2015
CAF U-20 Championship hosts Senegal scored in the 86th minute to equalise in their final Group A match against Congo, and then in the third minute of stoppage time the Lions of Teranga scored again to win 4-3. The result booked Senegal a spot in the semi-finals of the competition along with a place at the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015.
In a dramatic seven-goal thriller in Dakar, Senegal's El Hadji Malick Niang opened the scoring early on, but six minutes later Moise Justalain Nkounkou equalised for Congo. Ibrahima Wadji gave Senegal the lead to head into half-time up 2-1, but Congo would score twice in a ten-minute span in the second period to take a 3-2 lead.
Sidy Sarr proved to be Senegal's hero, scoring in the 86th and then again seven minutes later to send the hosts' supporters at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor into a state of delirium as coach Marie Joseph Francois Koto's side won 4-3 and punched their ticket into the semi-finals and New Zealand 2015 in the process.
Senegal will be joined in New Zealand by Nigeria, Ghana and Mali. The Flying Eagles finished in front of Senegal in Group A at the CAF U-20 Championship, while Ghana and Mali, who have both earned a spot in the semi-finals, will square off on Sunday to determine the top stop in Group B.