Al-Nassr : Sadio Mane, the good news for Senegal with 24 days to go before the 2023 African Cup of Nations

Sadio Mané, the Senegalese international, is shining with his new club, Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia, with a string of remarkable performances. This is good news for Senegal with 24 days to go before the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

Sadio Mane : a timely awakening

In 23 games in all competitions, he has scored 10 goals and provided 6 assists, demonstrating a return to form after his spell at Bayern Munich.

This performance is excellent news for Senegal, especially with just a few weeks to go before the start of the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Côte d’Ivoire.

The draw has placed the reigning African champions in Pool C alongside Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia. Sadio Mané, a former Liverpool player, has an impressive record of 39 goals and 22 assists in 100 games played for the ‘Lions’ of Senegal since his first appearance in May 2012.

A key architect of Senegal’s triumph at the last CAF Africa Cup of Nations, he aspires to guide the ‘Lions’ to a second consecutive continental title.

Sadio Mane carried Senegal through the qualifiers

The two-time African Ballon d’Or winner played a key role in the Senegalese national team’s qualification, scoring 5 of their 12 goals in the group phase of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Lion of Teranga finished as Senegal’s top scorer in this phase.

Mané scored a hat-trick against Benin and added further goals against Mozambique and Rwanda. Although he was absent on the final matchday, his performances were crucial to the team. Other Senegalese players also contributed goals, including Boulaye Dia with two, and Youssouf Sabaly, Iliman Ndiaye, Mamadou Lamine Camara, Abdoulaye Seck and Habib Diallo, each with one.

Sadio Mané is tied with Patson Daka of Zambia, Mafouta of the Central African Republic and Youssef Msakni of Tunisia as the top scorers in the qualifiers. Burkina Faso’s Dango Ouattara and Namibia’s Peter Shalulile each scored four goals, while Algeria’s Mohamed Amoura, Togo’s Ahoueke Steeve Kevin Denkey and Mali’s Kamory Doumbia scored three goals apiece.

In Group C, Sadio Mane will be out to lead his team

Senegal will have their work cut out at the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, with an ultra-tough group to contend with. Sadio Mané had this to say after the draw for the African Cup of Nations.

“I think it’s a very difficult group. I’m half Gambian, half Guinean. My parents are from Guinea. Cameroon are there too. It’s going to be quite a complicated group. But we’re going to do everything we can, as we’ve always done, to get through the first round. It’s going to be very difficult,” said the best player at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

The reigning champions, the Lions of Senegal, face a daunting challenge at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, with a number of matches against strong teams expected. The Al-Nassr striker and his national team-mates are determined to rise to the challenge and advance in the competition despite the complexity of their group.

Senegal is pulling out all the stops to ensure the best possible preparation for the upcoming competition. In accordance with the directives of the Confederation of African Football, each team must submit a list of at least fifty players eligible for the 2023 African Cup of Nations. Senegal’s list has just been revealed, comprising a total of 60 players.

This Senegalese selection is characterised by its diversity, including players who played for the U20 team such as Papa Amadou Diallo of FC Metz and Mamadou Lamine Camara. There are also champions from local competitions, such as Cheikh Tidiane Sidibé and Aliou Badara Faty. Senegal’s list also features some very familiar faces, with the presence of renowned players such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mané, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Boulaye Dia and others.