Liverpool star Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Senegal in their 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture on Wednesday.
Mane stepped up to fire Aliou Cisse's side ahead from the penalty spot two minutes before half-time while Opa Nguette sealed maximum points for the hosts in the 73rd minute.
Wednesday's strike at the Stade Lat Dior was Mane's 20th goal for the Teranga Lions on his 62nd appearance, which puts him a goal behind joint-second all-time top scorer El Hadji Diouf and Mamadou Diallo.
The victory extended Senegal's dominance in Group I as they maintain their spot at the top with nine points after three games while Guinea-Bissau are placed third with three points from three matches.
At the end, Senegal coach Cisse felicitated with his team for grabbing the needed result against all odds in Thies.
“I congratulate them. They played a serious game despite the bad conditions and the heat,” he said per Wiw Sport.
“It was complicated, but I commend the effort they put in. They were determined to earn the three points.”
In his reaction, Guinea-Bissau’s Baciro Cande faulted the penalty decision in the first-half, and he maintains his team was not inferior to the 2019 Afcon finalists ahead of Sunday's reverse fixture in Bissau.
“We conceded the first goal when it was not necessary,” Cande said. “There were a few minutes left before the end of the first half, unfortunately Senegal benefited from a non-existent penalty, for me there is no fault.
“We tried to get back to the score in the second half, we had two or three great chances but we missed them because there was a good goalkeeper in front. We were not inferior to Senegal.
“There is a match in Guinea, we will see what will happen there. We will come with all our assets to beat Senegal on Sunday.”
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