Liverpool's Sadio Mane reacts to edging out Mohamed Salah and Egypt to the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Liverpool star Sadio Mane believes Senegal had luck on their side as they broke Egyptian hearts for the second time this year to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
Senegal wiped out a one-goal deficit in the fourth minute in front of their fans and then relied on penalties to once again beat the Pharaohs.
Egypt’s wayward penalties helped Senegal come out on top as Mohamed Salah missed a spot kick while his Liverpool teammate converted the deciding penalty.
Sadio Mane sends message to Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah after Senegal beat Egypt to World Cup #lfc liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football…
This was the second time Egypt faced defeat at the hands of Senegal as the Lions of Teranga beat them in the AFCON final in February this year.
Mane explained that Senegal had luck on their side as they broke Salah and Egypt's heart twice in the span of a couple of months.
The Senegalese told ONTime Sports, as per KingFut:
"I won twice and he [Salah] lost twice, I was luckier to come out on top. I am very proud that we won the Africa Cup of Nations and now qualified for the World Cup, it's a dream I had.”
He added that the Senegalese fans helped push the team over the line:
"I believe it was a difficult game for both teams. Our fans pushed us to win and we didn't stop fighting. We knew the game wouldn't be easy, but we pressed to score."
Liverpool will need Salah to dust himself and Mane to continue his form
Liverpool still have three trophies to play for this season, so they will need the duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane back and focussed.
Another attacker, Luis Diaz, also suffered the heartbreak of missing out on the World Cup as Colombia failed to qualify for the quadrennial event.
Sadio Mané on Mo Salah:
“I won twice and he lost twice, I was luckier to come out on top. I am very proud that we won the Africa Cup of Nations and now qualified for the World Cup, it’s a dream I had.” [ONTime Sports] https://t.co/pk1AUiTxSJ
It’s definitely not good news for the Reds, but if anyone knows how to motivate a player it’s Jurgen Klopp.
Both Salah and Diaz will have the chance to put the disappointment with their respective national teams behind them in the coming months.
Mane, on the other hand, will be in a buoyant mood and the fans will hope he can channel that on the pitch for Liverpool.