{"id":26221,"date":"2023-11-19T15:04:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-19T15:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/mane-celebrates-100th-senegal-appearance-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-11-19T15:04:08","modified_gmt":"2023-11-19T15:04:08","slug":"mane-celebrates-100th-senegal-appearance-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/mane-celebrates-100th-senegal-appearance-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Mane celebrates 100th Senegal appearance | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nJOHANNESBURG:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sadio Mane celebrated his 100th Senegal appearance by scoring twice in a 4-0 World Cup qualifying victory over South Sudan in an empty stadium near Dakar on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The Saudi Arabia-based forward, who has been voted African Footballer of the Year twice, also created a goal in the Group B first round match before being substituted.<\/p>\n

Success took reigning African champions Senegal to the top of the group, ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo on goal difference, as they seek a third straight World Cup appearance in 2026.<\/p>\n

The only disappointment for Mane and his teammates was that the match had to be staged behind closed doors after crowd trouble in a game against Egypt last year.<\/p>\n

Mane<\/a> set up Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Sarr to score just 37 seconds into the first half with a low shot past South Sudan goalkeeper Majak Mawith.<\/p>\n

He scored himself five minutes later, running on to a back heel from Habib Diallo and shrugging off shirt pulling by an opponent to fire home from close range.<\/p>\n

Mawith, one of several Australia-based players in the South Sudan side, was beaten again in the final minute of the opening half as Lamine Camara fired into the net.<\/p>\n

Mane completed the scoring on 56 minutes by converting a penalty in the last of 26 matchday one fixtures in Africa.<\/p>\n

There should have been 27 matches, but Eritrea withdrew without giving an explanation, leaving shock 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco with a Group E bye.<\/p>\n

Morocco will be away on Tuesday to Tanzania, who began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Niger through a 56th-minute goal from debutant Charles M’Mombwa.<\/p>\n

Tanzania trail Zambia, who defeated Congo Brazzaville 4-2 on Friday, on goal difference in a group Morocco are expected to dominate.<\/p>\n

South Africa, whose last World Cup appearance was 13 years ago as hosts, went to the top of Group C with a laboured 2-1 win over Benin in Durban.<\/p>\n

Goals early and late in the first half from Percy Tau and Khuliso Mudau gave Bafana Bafana (The Boys) a two-goal half-time advantage.<\/p>\n

But they failed to build the lead in a scrappy second half and Benin captain Steve Mounie set up a tense finish by halving the deficit 20 minutes from time.<\/p>\n

The second round kicks off on Sunday with former World Cup qualifiers Algeria, DR Congo, Egypt and Nigeria among 10 teams in action.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n