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Senegalese players celebrate Krépin Diatta's second goal against Tanzania. RFI / Pierre-René Worms

For his first game of CAN 2019, Senegal serious, technically superior, but lacking realism, has overcome Tanzania (2-0), limited and did not exist in this first meeting of Group C. The Lions, without their star Sadio Mané, ideally begin their tournament before the shock against Algeria on Thursday, June 27.

From our special envoy in Cairo,

The coach Aliou Cissé does not like sticking the tag of favorite to his team. He will have a hard time getting rid of it after the Lions win against Tanzania (2-0) . That's right, it was only the 131st team in the FIFA rankings, but after seeing Egypt suffer in opening match against Zimbabwe (1-0), just like Nigeria and Morocco in front of Burundi and Namibia, or the DRC humiliated by Uganda (2-0), Senegal is perhaps the first big to be convincing for its first outing.

In the game, with their technical superiority, and the physical intensity imprinted, Aliou Cissé's men were far superior to those of Emmanuel Amunike. The march was too high for the Taifa Stars back to the CAN after 39 years of absence. The score is even flattering for the Tanzanians, as the Senegalese lacked realism to realize their many opportunities, like Mbaye Niang who offered the first two opportunities with two face-to-face missed ahead of Aishi Manula. The Rennes striker will have a hard time not to dwell on his many missed opportunities, fortunately without consequences since Baldé Keïta and Krépin Diatta have materialized the Senegalese domination.

Invisible Samatta ...

Diao Baldé Keïta, suspended substitute of Sadio Mané, opened the scoring (29) after a fine collective action initiated by Moussa Wague and relayed by Mbaye Niang and Idrissa Gueye. Krépin Diatta, the youngest (20) of Cissé's 23, did not need anyone to offer his first goal to the CAN on a striking strike at the entrance to the penalty area (64th ).

Across the street, Tanzanians have never had the weapons to challenge the superiority of Lions. They ran a lot and committed a lot (too many) mistakes. Their captain, Aly Samatta , top scorer in the Belgian league (23), muzzled by the Senegalese defense, did not exist.

Senegal won his first match without suffering too much, except for losing his central defender Salif Sané in the 20th. Schalke 04, in tears, replaced by Cheikhou Kouyaté, is certainly afraid for the rest of his tournament.

The sequel for Senegal, it will be against Algeria for the shock of this group C, Thursday, June 27 17h (UT). The same day, Tanzania will challenge Kenya.

► To read also: CAN 2019, Calendar, results and standings of the Africa Cup