Ndeye Awa Casset fires Senegal to victory over Tunisia as new era begins

By Angu Lesley

Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon

Senegal have taken an important step towards the 2028 Olympic Games after securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Tunisia in the first leg of their qualifying tie, with Ndeye Awa Casset scoring the decisive goal. The result gives the Teranga Lionesses a valuable advantage ahead of the return leg in Dakar and offers an encouraging start to a new chapter for the Senegalese women’s national team.

Casset proved to be the difference between the two sides, finding the breakthrough in a closely contested encounter in which Senegal had to work hard for their advantage. Her goal gave the visitors a result to build on, while the team’s defensive resilience ensured they left Tunisia without conceding. Although the margin is slim, Senegal will be pleased to have put themselves in a position to finish the job on home soil.

Beyond the result, the victory carries added significance for Senegal, who are beginning a new era following the departure of their coach after the last Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. A change in leadership inevitably brings questions about direction, continuity and the team’s ability to maintain its competitive level. For a group that has been working to establish itself among Africa’s leading women’s football nations, the Olympic qualifiers provide an early opportunity to demonstrate that the transition will not derail their ambitions.

Casset’s decisive contribution could therefore become an important moment in this new chapter. Senegal need to build on the foundations established in recent years while continuing to develop their identity, improve their consistency and compete for a place on the biggest international stages. The 1-0 win does not settle every question surrounding the team, but it gives the players something positive to take into the next encounter and provides a platform on which the new technical leadership can build.

The return leg is scheduled for October 13 at the Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium in Dakar, where Senegal will have the backing of their home supporters as they attempt to secure qualification for the next stage. Tunisia, however, remain firmly in the contest and will travel to Dakar knowing that one goal could level the tie. Senegal must therefore balance the need to protect their advantage with the ambition to attack and put the result beyond doubt.

For the Teranga Lionesses, the mission is clear: finish the job in Dakar and give this new era a further boost. Casset has supplied the goal, and Senegal have secured the advantage. Now comes the challenge of turning that promising beginning into progress on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.