The Falcons of Jediane under Ghana coach Kwesi Appaih qualified for the knockout stage as one of the four best third-placed teams, after collecting three points in Group E.
The East Africans’ qualification was made possible following their 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea, which marked their second-ever win at the AFCON since lifting the trophy in 1970.
Sudan lost their opening fixture 3-1 against Algeria, before suffering a 2-0 defeat against Burkina Faso in matchday three. Ahead of their clash against the Lions of Teranga, Abdelrahman has insisted their progression to will inspire them on.
Senegal very strong and experienced team
“It will be a very difficult match by all standards. We know our opponent well. Senegal are a strong and experienced team with a rich history in the competition,” Abdelrahman, who plays for Al Hilal, told CAF Media.
“The key to victory is our determination, perseverance, belief in ourselves and our desire to go far in this tournament.”
He added: “Progressing past the group stage was a strategic objective for us before the start of this edition, and thank God we managed to achieve it. It was a big and necessary step.
“We feel both proud and happy because we were able to bring joy to the Sudanese people. Sudanese fans everywhere are following the team’s journey with passion despite the ongoing war. The Sudanese people love football, and it has become the only source of happiness under the current circumstances.”
Asked to detail Sudan's ambition at AFCON, he said: “We are dealing with this tournament step by step. Our current objective is to reach the next round despite the fierce competition expected against Senegal.
“We will seek to prove our worth, as we have pledged to give everything, with success coming from God.”
In his message to the fans, he said: “First of all, we thank the fans who have continuously provided us with moral support. We are truly grateful to them and promise to give even more in the upcoming challenges in order to honor our country.”
Sudan and Senegal will be meeting for the first time in AFCON history. However, in other competitions, the two sides have met seven times previously, with Senegal undefeated with four wins and three draws.
Four of those seven meetings took place in 2025, making the Round of 16 clash their fifth encounter in under a year.
However, Sudan will face a tall order against a Senegal side, who finished group stage matches unbeaten, scoring seven goals and conceding just one.
Sudan will also have to deal with the threats posed by forwards Sadio Mane and Abdoulaye Seck, while Kalidou Koulibaly will not be involved after receiving a red card in Senegal's 3-0 win against Benin at Grand Stade de Tanger.
