Marseille striker Ismaila Sarr starred as defending Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal eased their way into the last 16 with a 3-1 win over Cameroon.

Sarr’s deflected strike gave his side a 16th-minute lead and it was he who set up fellow frontman Habib Diallo after the break before Sadio Mane cemented victory at Stade Charles Konan Banny in stoppage time to guarantee his side’s progression from Group C.

Cameroon responded belatedly when Jean-Charles Castelletto powered home a header from Olivier Ntcham’s 83rd-minute cross and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou has guilty of a glaring miss before Mane scored, but Rigobert Song’s men will head into Tuesday’s final group fixture against Gambia with just a single point to their name.

Senegal went ahead after the Cameroon defence failed to deal with Pape Sarr’s 16th-minute corner.

The ball was fed back in to Sarr after goalkeeper Andre Onana had punched it to the edge of the box and he drilled in a low right-footed shot which took a slight deflection off Frank Anguissa and flew into the net.

The Indomitable Lions did not muster a single attempt on goal in the opening 45 minutes and might have fallen further behind six minutes before the break but for Enzo Tchato’s block after Lamine Camara had put Mane in on goal.

Aliou Cisse’s men continued to make the running after the restart, but Olivier Kemen got a sight of goal at the other end, only to loop his 55th-minute header from a deep free-kick high over.

Cameroon’s fortunes took a further turn for the worse with 19 minutes remaining when Sarr turned provider with a low cross for Habib Diallo to make it 2-0 from close range.

Castelletto gave Song’s side hope with seven minutes remaining and they should have been level when Nkoudou headed inexplicably wide in injury time before Mane wrapped up the points.

Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy has set his sights on Africa Cup of Nations glory as he prepares for a belated introduction to the competition.

Stuttgart’s 17-goal striker – only England frontman Harry Kane has found the back more often in the Bundesliga to date this season – will hope to play a part in Friday evening’s showdown with Gambia at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro.

The 27-year-old sat out the opening 1-1 draw with Cameroon through injury, but is preparing for an extended stay in Ivory Coast.

Asked about his club form, he told the tournament’s official website: “My personal goal is to continue in the same vein, especially since the matches in Africa are far more difficult.

“I strive to play good matches and help my country’s team in a good way. I aim to do well and why not win the title of this competition?”

Kaba Diawara’s men battled their way to a draw with Cameroon in their opening fixture despite having skipper Francois Kamano sent off, meaning he will be suspended for the second game.

The Scorpions, meanwhile, finished on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline against reigning champions Senegal, during which Cardiff midfielder Ebou Adams was dismissed and he too will be banned.

Speaking after the defeat, coach Tom Saintfiet said: “We will prepare well and we will be ready for the Guinea match. I know that we will be ready.

“Things have become difficult for us now, especially after losing by three. We need four points to qualify, so there is still hope.”

The sides met in the last 16 of the competition in Cameroon two years ago when Musa Barrow’s goal handed Gambia a 1-0 victory.