Challenging Senegal displays the AFCON trophy before beating Peru in a friendly match

Senegal defiantly displayed the Africa Cup of Nations trophy to supporters on Saturday before beating Peru 2-0 in a World Cup warm-up match at the Stade de France.

Nicolas Jackson scored four minutes before half-time, and Ismaila Sarr added a second in the 54th as Senegal won its first match since the Cup of Nations final in January, when they defeated Morocco but were stripped of the title this month.

The Confederation of African Football Appeals Council awarded Morocco the Cup of Nations title after Senegal staged a 14-minute walk-off during the final in Rabat, a decision that Senegal challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

An hour before kick-off in Paris on Saturday, Senegal’s players and coach Pape Bouna Thiaw walked around the pitch with the trophy to a rapturous welcome from a near-capacity crowd as they continued to mock the CAF decision.

Thiaw had declared on Friday that “we know we are African champions”, and the team wore a newly designed strip with two stars above their crest, reflecting their success in the Cup of Nations in 2021 and also this year.

Jackson had an easy lead for the first goal after a rush down the right wing by Senegal’s teenage star Ibrahima Mbaye, who took over the attacking mantle in Sadio Mane’s absence.

Sarr latched onto a ricocheted ball that fell perfectly into his path, but had to get past two defenders before scoring the second goal.

There was also a convincing win for Ivory Coast as they defeated South Korea 4-0 at Stadium MK, north of London, on Saturday.

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Like Senegal, the Ivorians are among nine African countries that will compete at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the US from June.

Evann Guessand scored the first goal in the 35th minute after being pulled up by debutant Martial Godo, who then scored the third himself after 62 minutes from a rebound from a corner.

In between, Simon Adingra announced his return to the team with a rasping shot on the stroke of half-time, making the score 2-0.

He was left out of the squad for the Cup of Nations in Morocco at the turn of the year, where the Ivorians defended their title but bowed out in the quarter-finals.

Defender Wilfried ⁠Singo, another player back in the selection, set aside the fourth goal with the last kick of the match.

The Ivorians next face Scotland at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, while Senegal go home to neighbors Gambia in Dakar on Tuesday, where they are expected to wave the gold trophy again in front of the home supporters.

Published on March 29, 2026