Senegal's display against England was the highlight of the June international break, but Africa's other teams also produced displays to talk about... Though South African fans may want to forget about it.
Teranga Lions prove their AFCON credentials
The standout result of the international break came at Nottingham Forest's City Ground, where Senegal handed Thomas Tuchel a first major setback of his nascent tenure as England head coach with an unexpected 3-1 victory.
Remarkably, England had never before been beaten by an African national side in any kind of senior fixture - either competitive or friendly - in 21 previous matches.
In the absence of talisman Sadio Mané, there were questions about how Senegal would find the cutting edge to hurt Tuchel's side... although in hindsight, we needn't have worried.
In a rematch of the 2022 World Cup bout between the two sides - which the Three Lions won 3-0 - the West Africans thoroughly outclassed their opponents and delivered a statement of intent ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations later this year.
When Harry Kane opened the scoring after seven minutes, following Lamine Camara's lapse in possession, it appeared as though Senegal ought to prepare themselves for a repeat of that Al Khor humbling.
However, the Lions defied expectations by largely outplaying their hosts during the first 45, and time and time again, it proved too easy for the West Africans to play through their opponents.
They surely should have found the net before Ismaïla Sarr's 40th-minute equaliser, as the Crystal Palace wideman beat Kyle Walker to a cut-back to become the first player to score against Tuchel's England.
Strasbourg's Habib Diarra, linked with a summer move to Leeds United, added a second after the hour mark when he finished from close range, before Metz's Cheikh Sabaly killed any hopes of an England draw when he score a counter-attacking goal in stoppage time.
Particularly impressive were widemen Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye, demonstrating the explosive turn of place and directness that proved to be (almost) the sole bright light for Everton during a testing campaign, as they gave fullbacks Kyle Walker and Myles Lewis-Skelley a miserable outing.
Elsewhere, Idrissa Gueye rolled back the years alongside the energetic Lamine in midfield, while goalscorer Diarra demonstrated his eye for goal and the expansiveness of his overall play, and Édouard Mendy saved magnificently to deny Bukayo Saka.
Perhaps only Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, up against his debuting club mate Trevoh Chalobah, could look back on regret at another performance overshadowed by missed chances and fluffed lines.
While Tuchel toils on in trying to get the most out of this talented group of players, there are no such doubts about Senegal's Pape Thiaw, who has taken his time to imprint his own identity on the side after taking the reins following the surprise departure of AFCON-winning head coach Aliou Cisse in October.
Thiaw's Senegal haven't yet been beaten, and again demonstrated their resiliency in their 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland during the international break, but he's also imbued the Lions with a certain zip and tenacity that had begun to fade under Cisse.
Ndiaye, in particular, brings unpredictability and flair, while Jackson, for his lack of finesse, causes constant problems for his opponents with his movement off the ball, pressing and ungainly physical presence.
Considering they were only eliminated from the last Nations Cup by the Cote d'Ivoire on penalties, one has to go back to September 2023, and a friendly defeat by Algeria, for Senegal's last regular time loss.
Add Sadio Mane back to this mix, and the Teranga Lions can firmly expect to be among the top contenders for the AFCON later this year.
Dessers emerges as genuine option for Nigeria
This was an international break of great opportunity for Nigeria's attackers, with the Super Eagles contesting three fixtures without the likes of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Taiwo Awoniyi.
In their absence, the likes of Tolu Arokodare, Victor Boniface and Umar Sadiq found themselves with an opportunity to prove themselves ahead of the Nations Cup and (potentially) the World Cup to come in the next 12 months.
While it was Arokodare who netted the equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Russia, it's likely Dessers' opener against Ghana that will likely live longest in the memory, with the Rangers frontman sending the Super Eagles on their way to victory against their fierce rivals... and ultimately on to Unity Cup glory.
The striker, who scored 29 goals for the Scottish giants last term, had looked likely to have ended his international career forever unfulfilled with the Super Eagles, having failed to translate his impressive scoring form across Europe to the international sphere.
In truth, Dessers has had precious few opportunities over the years, with his impressive goal hauls with NAC Breda and Heracles Almelo ultimately leading to transfers where he's struggled to regain his previous momentum.
Indeed, the last two seasons at Rangers have been the first time in the 30-year-old's career that he's hit double figures for league goals in consecutive campaigns, which is remarkable considering his potent blend of physicality, bullish aggression and poaching instincts.
Nigeria coaches, admittedly with plenty of other offensive options, have rarely appeared to trust him, but potentially now, as he enters the autumn of his career, and with questions abounding about his Rangers future, he may have done enough to force himself into contention for a major tournament.
El Kaabi, Hakimi, Rahimi star for Morocco
It was a fine international break for Morocco, as they negotiated a North African derby against an uninspired Tunisia to inaugurate the new AFCON stadium in Fez, before seeing off Benin 1-0.
Ayoub El Kaabi's superb acrobatic bicycle kick late in the first half was enough to beat Benin in a low-key affair, as he staked his claim to lead the line for the Atlas Lions, ahead of Youssef En-Nesyri, having earlier scored in the Tunisia match.
Understandably, Morocco's much rotated side didn't have the zip and cohesion of the Achraf Hakimi-inspired first XI of the Tunisia victory, with the Paris Saint-Germain captain opening the scoring in the derby before jetting off to the United States to contest the Club World Cup.
Soufiane Rahimi, arguably Morocco's most inventive creator in the victory over Tunisia, will also be in action in the USA with Al Ain.
Bafana's (lack of) strength in depth
The South African Football Association had a masterplan heading into this international break, with one national-team squad -- overseen by principle head coach Hugo Broos -- taking on Tanzania and Mozambique, while another full squad contested the regional COSAFA Cup.
Without any Mamelodi Sundowns players, tied up with the Club World Cup, Broos's seniors compensated for a dull 0-0 draw with Tanzania by seeing off Mozambique 2-0. However, the COSAFA side didn't keep up their side of the bargain.
They progressed to Sunday's final after only taking four points from their group-stage campaign, saw off the Comoros in the semifinal, but were utterly outclassed against Angola, falling to a miserable 3-0 defeat, extending their run without winning the Southern African crown to four tournaments.
Reigning champions Angola, inspired by two-goal Vojvodina forward Depú, retained the title in some comfort, easing past PSL stalwarts like Kabelo Dlamini, Wandile Duba and Boitumelo Radiopane.
It was a showing that ultimately exposes South Africa's lack of strength in depth, rather than their wealth of riches, and further underlines the country's reliance on Sundowns.
Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe tells Gab Marcotti about what he hopes his side can achieve at the Club World Cup.
Africa outclassed in Tournoi de Toulon
The 51st edition of the Tournoi Maurice Revello (formerly the Tournoi de Toulon) ended in disappointment for African teams, with Congo-Brazzaville and Mali ending the competition in seventh and fifth place respectively.
It's a far cry from some of the continent's previous showings at the tournament, with the Cote d'Ivoire winning in 2010, and the likes of El Kaabi, Achraf Bencharki and Francois Omam-Biyik using the youth tournament as a springboard to greater things.
Despite some promising players, particularly for eternal under-age contenders Mali, who called upon Newcastle United target Gaoussou Diakité, Wilson Samake of Rennes and Villarreal wonderkid Mahmoud Barry among others, neither team was in contention for top honours come the tournament's end.
Instead, it was Steven Ndoura - born in Ivry-sur-Seine to Cameroonian parents -who stole the show for France with a series of fine performances, including a double in Sunday's final against Saudi Arabia.