Sadio Mane breaks scoring record as Senegal begins AFCON 2023 qualifiers with win

By David Ochieng Mbewa

Sadio Mane scored a hat-trick as Senegal began their qualifying campaign for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-1 win at home to 10-man Benin in their Group L match at the Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio on Saturday.

The reigning AFCON champions raced into a two-goal lead midway through the first half with Mane opening the scoring through a penalty in the 10th minute before doubling his tally 12 minutes later.

Sadio Mane, the man of the match against Benin, at the Stade Me. Abdoulaye Wade of Diamniadio during the first day of the CAN 2022 qualifiers against Benin. /CFP

Benin midfielder Sessi D’Almeida was sent off six minutes into the second half and Mane added a third from the spot on the hour mark for a 3-0 lead.

Mane’s goals meant he became Senegal’s all-time leading scorer moving ahead of former Wigan forward Henri Camara who netted 29 times in 99 matches.

Mane’s feat is more impressive as he broke the record in 90 matches compared to Camara’s tally in 99 matches.

Benin did manage to grab a consolation late in the game through substitute Junior Olaitan.

Elsewhere, former AFCON champions Algeria defeated Uganda 2-0 in Algiers in their Group F match. Aissa Mandi and Youcef Belaili scored in either half while Uganda had earlier failed to level the match with Farouk Miya missing a penalty in the 33rd minute.

Tanzania and Niger are joint-second in the group behind Algeria following a 1-1 draw in Cotonou.

In Group I, Shavy Babicka scored the only goal of the game as Gabon stunned Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 Kinshasa.

Mauritania, however, leads the group after a brace from Aboubakar Kamara led them to a 3-0 win against Sudan.

In Group G, El Bilal Toure scored twice as Mali thumped Republic of Congo 4-0 in Bamako while the other group match saw Gambia edge South Sudan 1-0.

In Group C, Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana scored late on and was then sent off as Burundi held Namibia to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg. Mamelodi Sundowns forward Peter Shalulile had given Namibia the lead in just the 10th minute.

(Story compiled with assistance from wire reports)

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