Senegal made their point before kickoff. Then they made it count.
Hours after walking out with the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in full view of the crowd, the Teranga Lions settled down to business and beat Peru 2-0 in a game that never really slipped from their control.
The pre-match moment had already said plenty.
Captain Kalidou Koulibaly led the team on a slow lap with the trophy at the Stade de France. No speeches, no drama on the pitch, just a quiet and pointed gesture after the decision by the Confederation of African Football to strip them of the title.
Once the whistle went, they didn’t overplay it. They just played.
Senegal settled quicker and were already asking questions early on. In the 10th minute, Ismaïla Sarr tested the goalkeeper with a curling effort. It was not a goal, but it set the tone.
The breakthrough came eight minutes later.
Sarr found space at the back post in the 18th minute, meeting a low ball across goal and guiding it in. Simple finish. Senegal ahead.
Peru tried to respond and thought they had something in the 33rd minute, but the flag went up. It was tight, but offside all the same. That moment could have changed the feel of things. Instead, it passed.
Senegal made sure of it before the break.
In the 41st minute, Nicolas Jackson reacted quickest inside the box after a loose clearance fell kindly. He did not rush it, took a touch, picked his spot, and finished. 2-0.
After that, it became a matter of control.
Peru had a spell early in the second half and forced a decent save around the 55th minute, but it did not spark anything lasting. Senegal stayed compact, picked their moments, and nearly added a third on the counter in the 72nd minute, only for the chance to drift wide.
No panic, no rush. Just a team that knew it had done enough.
On paper, it is a straightforward 2-0 win. But it did not feel ordinary.
Not after the walkout. Not after everything around it.
Senegal came into the night with something to say. They said it before kickoff, and by full-time, they had backed it up the only way that really counts.