This match between two of the continent’s heavyweights offered plenty of intrigue as the defending champions faced the five-time winners in Yamoussoukro.
Given the two sides’ contrasting form, it was not hugely surprising when Aliou Cissé’s side drew first blood thanks to Sarr’s opener.
He gave Senegal the lead in the 16th minute as Cameroon failed to clear away Lamine Camara’s corner, and the Marseille man’s effort took a hefty deflection off André-Frank Zambo Anguissa before beating André Onana.
The returning Manchester United goalkeeper hardly covered himself in glory with a weak punched clearance, allowing Sarr to profit, and consigning the Indomitable Lions to a fourth consecutive game without a clean sheet in all competitions.
Cissé’s men were searching for a second before HT, but Enzo Tchato made a superb block to deny Sadio Mané from a tight angle.
Senegal were asking more questions after the restart without testing Onana again, but his Cameroon counterpart, Édouard Mendy, remained untroubled between the sticks.
Rigobert Song’s side had failed to muster a solitary shot on target heading into the final 25 minutes, and there was audible discontent from the fans when Moumi Ngamaleu’s cross drifted harmlessly high over the target.
Habib Diallo effectively killed off the contest with a second Lions of Teranga goal in the 71st minute, sliding home to meet Sarr’s delivery from the right in what was Senegal’s first attempt on goal in the second half.
It was a well-worked goal from the holders, but the lack of intensity and defensive sloppiness from Rigobert Song’s men was a worrying sight.
Cissé’s side had concerns of his own when Diallo was carried off on a stretcher heading into the final 10 minutes, with Nicolas Jackson entering the fray, while Iliman Ndiaye replaced Sarr.
Those worries were heightened when Cameroon halved the deficit with their first attempt on target as Jean-Charles Castelletto powered home a brilliant header from Olivier Ntcham’s cross.
This seemed to wake the Indomitable Lions from their slumber, yet Georges-Kévin Nkoudou headed wide deep into stoppage time. It proved to be a costly miss, with Mané caressing a finish into the bottom corner just seconds later.
Despite the nervy finish, Senegal did enough to secure safe passage into the last 16, leaving Cameroon with only one victory in their last eight games across all competitions.
Meanwhile, qualification remains very much in the balance for Song’s out-of-form side heading into their final group stage clash against The Gambia on Tuesday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal)
