Africa’s biggest tournament is here and we’re covering AFCON picks, parlays and best bets all tournament long. Read on for our Round of 16 Africa Cup of Nations predictions for today’s game between Senegal vs Sudan.
This game kicks off at 11am EST on Saturday, January 3, 2026 in Tangier, Morocco.
Senegal were 1st in Group D at 2-1-0.
Sudan advanced as one of the best 3rd place teams, being 3rd in Group E at 1-0-2, despite being outscored 5-1.
AFCON Odds and Picks
Here are today’s odds for the Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16.
| Result | Odds |
|---|---|
| Senegal | -550 |
| Draw | +550 |
| Sudan | +2000 |
| Senegal to advance | -1600 |
| Sudan to advance | +900 |
| BTTS Yes / No | +250 / -350 |
| Over 2.5 / Under 2.5 | -106 / -118 |
Senegal vs Sudan Preview
Senegal (The Lions of Teranga)
19th in FIFA Rankings.
Their first game was a blowout vs Botswana winning 3-0, with 2 goals from Jackson and another from Ndiaye. They led in possession (68%), shots (22-2) and shots on target (13-0). Sadio Mane had 9/6 of those attempts/shots on target and Jackson 7/5.
Next up was DR Congo in a much closer game with DRC scoring first in the 61′ minute, but Mane levelling them minutes later in the 69′ for a 1-1 draw.
Their final match was another blowout vs Benin. It was close for a while, but then Senegal broke up the scoring in the 38′, added a second in the 62′ and then a third in the 97′ by PK. But, they’ll be without Koulibaly who saw red in the 71′. During the group stage they scored 7 and allowed just 1.
Through the Group Stage, Senegal put the most shots on target with 26 in the 3 games. Sadio Mane led all player with 7 shot on target, on 11 attempts.
In all matches, Senegal have won 6/7 and the wins have all come by shut out, and in their last 9 games they’ve outscored opponents by a combined 31-3. They’ve also not lost in regulation in 39 overall matches going all the way back to September 2023 which was a friendly. In that time only 4 games ended drawn. It’s been 49 games since their last competitive loss, 1-0 to Uganda in January 2023 in the group stage of the African Nations Championship.
Sudan (Falcons of Jediane)
118th in FIFA Rankings.
It was a tough start to this AFCON, conceding in the opening 2 minutes, being reduced to 10 men in the 39′ and going on to lose 3-0 to Algeria.
MD2 was much better, though only an own goal in the 74′ minute saw them get on the scoresheet in what turned out to be a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea. They only had 35% possession and 1 shot on target, despite 11 attempts.
Next up, they had 10 shots, just 2 on target and again no goals, going on to lose to Burkina Faso 2-0. That set a dubious mark, making Sudan the only team to move on to the knockouts, without a goal scored (not counting the OG).
They’re now 2-3-9 in regulation, and have scored only 2 goals in 6 games, while also being shut out in 9/12. The BTTS bet has only hit in 2/12 Sudan games.
Senegal vs Sudan Head-to-Head
Senegal has never lost to this opponent being 5-2-0. There should be plenty of familiarity though with the nations playing 4 times in 2025. First, a 0-0 draw in March WCQ. Then another 0-0 in the Nations Championship, followed by a 1-1 in the same competition in August. Then in September Senegal won 2-0 back in WCQ, so while I’d expect Senegal to win, if any team has plenty of experience lining up against Senegal, it’s Sudan. Still, in 7 all-time meetings, Sudan has scored once.
AFCON Prediction
Finding value here isn’t easy. Senegal -1.5 doesn’t even pay that well and even win to nil is -200. Senegal lost in the Round of 16 to worst 3rd-place team last AFCON (Ivory Coast) so I expect more focused approach this time against a Sudan team with only 2 wins in their last 19 AFCON matches.
- AFCON Picks: Senegal to win to nil and score over 1.5 (-105)
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Ryan Métivier is a seasoned editor, writer and communications professional with years of experience in all fields. When it comes to covering sports, he’s written for numerous outlets and organizations including the OHL, CHL, SportsXpress, Sports Betting Dime, Cleveland.com, MassLive, FanSided and others.
While he’ll always cheer for his hometown Toronto teams, when it comes to betting, his only allegiance is his bankroll. Ryan specializes in global soccer, the NFL and the NHL, but if there is a bet to be made, he’ll make it. As the founder of Shred The Spread, Ryan focuses on combining storylines, trends, analytics and good bankroll management to creating simple bets that make sense.
When not making a case for why both teams will score in an MLS soccer match, he can be found focusing his efforts on fitness, attempting to learn Spanish, cooking or planning his travel adventure.
