Senegal reached the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals after a goal by Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye ended Benin’s tournament.
Gueye started and finished a move which saw Liverpool’s Sadio Mane tee up his team-mate to score in Cairo.
The Video Assistant Referee system has been introduced from the quarter-final stage and Mane had two goals disallowed for offside after VAR checks.
Benin’s Olivier Verdon was sent off near the end for a foul on Gueye.
Before Gueye’s goal, his first in Egypt, Benin – who had reached this stage without winning a match in normal time – almost took the lead after a horrific mistake by keeper Alfred Gomis.
He mis-controlled a routine back-pass, the ball spinning off his boot before going narrowly wide of his own post.
But Gueye’s goal means Senegal are two wins from winning the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.
Aliou Cisse’s team will meet minnows Madagascar or Tunisia in the semi-finals on Sunday in Cairo.
A fair result in the end – analysis
BBC Sport’s Matthew Kenyon in Cairo
In the end this was a fair result and a match Senegal will feel they should have won by more. But for quite a lot of time they were being pushed by a Benin team who were well set up, and marshalled the challenge posed by Sadio Mane and co. really well.
They have still to win a match at the Nations Cup in four tournaments – getting to this stage thanks to a penalty shoot out against Morocco – but the Squirrels know how to defend and showed enough on the break to give Senegal some concern.
In the end though, Gueye’s fine strike was enough, made by Mane – who had the ball in the net twice but couldn’t add to his three goals here. Both were ruled out for offside, with VAR making its first appearance at an Africa Cup of Nations to confirm the decisions of the officials.
Madagascar or Tunisia await Senegal in the semis. After this performance they will be feeling pretty confident.
Line-ups
Senegal
- 23Gomis
- 21Gassama
- 8Kouyaté
- 3Koulibaly
- 12Sabaly
- 14Saivet
- 17B Ndiaye
- 5GueyeSubstituted forSanéat 89′minutes
- 10ManéBooked at 90mins
- 9NiangSubstituted forDiagneat 64′minutes
- 11KeitaSubstituted forDiattaat 65′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Diallo
- 2Ciss
- 4Cissé
- 6Sané
- 7Konaté
- 13A N’Diaye
- 15Diatta
- 18Sarr
- 19Diagne
- 20Thioub
- 22Wagué
Benin
- 16Allagbe
- 2Barazé
- 13Adilehou
- 6VerdonBooked at 82mins
- 11Imorou
- 8Adeoti
- 14SoukouBooked at 44minsSubstituted forDjiglaat 81′minutes
- 15D’AlmeidaSubstituted forSeibouat 69′minutes
- 17Sessegnon
- 10PotéSubstituted forDossouat 77′minutes
- 9MounieBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 1Farnolle
- 4Anaane
- 5Salomon
- 7Djigla
- 12Kiki
- 18Seibou
- 19Segbe Azankpo
- 20Dossou
- 21Kossi
- 22Fassinou
- 23Kakpo
- Referee:
- Mustapha Ghorbal
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home25
- Away22
Live Text
Match ends, Senegal 1, Benin 0.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Senegal 1, Benin 0.
Offside, Senegal. Cheikhou Kouyaté tries a through ball, but Sadio Mané is caught offside.
Booking
Steve Mounie (Benin) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Cheikhou Kouyaté (Senegal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Steve Mounie (Benin).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match (Senegal).
Booking
Sadio Mané (Senegal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Sadio Mané (Senegal).
Moise Adilehou (Benin) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jodel Dossou (Benin).
Foul by Mbaye Diagne (Senegal).
Saturnin Allagbe (Benin) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Henri Saivet (Senegal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mama Seibou (Benin).
Substitution
Substitution, Senegal. Salif Sané replaces Idrissa Gueye.
Corner, Benin. Conceded by Krépin Diatta.
Foul by Lamine Gassama (Senegal).
David Djigla (Benin) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Youssouf Sabaly (Senegal).
Jodel Dossou (Benin) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Cheikhou Kouyaté (Senegal).
David Djigla (Benin) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Krépin Diatta (Senegal).
Emmanuel Imorou (Benin) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Youssouf Sabaly (Senegal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jodel Dossou (Benin).
Attempt saved. Mbaye Diagne (Senegal) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Dismissal
Olivier Verdon (Benin) is shown the red card.
Idrissa Gueye (Senegal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Olivier Verdon (Benin).
Substitution
Substitution, Benin. David Djigla replaces Cebio Soukou.
Foul by Mbaye Diagne (Senegal).
Olivier Verdon (Benin) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Krépin Diatta (Senegal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Emmanuel Imorou (Benin).
Lamine Gassama (Senegal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jodel Dossou (Benin).
References
- ^ Afcon 2019: Why the heat is a hot topic (www.bbc.co.uk)
- ^ Line-ups (www.bbc.co.uk)
- ^ Match Stats (www.bbc.co.uk)
- ^ Live Text (www.bbc.co.uk)
