South Africa produced a determined second-half response to overturn Senegal and claim a 2–1 win in their opening fixture.
Senegal started strongly, controlling early possession and pushing the game into South African territory. Their pressure paid off just before half-time when Cheickh Thior reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area to put the West Africans ahead in the 44th minute.
However, the momentum shifted immediately after the break. South Africa struck back just three minutes into the second half when Inganathi Simama finished clinically to restore parity and energise the contest.
The turning point came in the 55th minute. Under sustained pressure, Senegal were unfortunate to concede an own goal when Cheickh Thior diverted the ball into his own net during a chaotic defensive moment. From there, South Africa showed composure and defensive discipline to protect their lead until full time.
