Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw is in awe of Sadio Mane following his performance in the 5-0 thrashing of Iraq in their final group game.
The former Liverpool forward did not get on the scoresheet, but played a very influential role as the Lions of Teranga went on to seal progress to the Round of 32.
Senegal had lost their first two matches and needed to win by a big margin to stand a chance of progressing to the next round. They did just that, putting five past the Asian side.
Their task, however, was made easy as Rebin Sulaka was sent off for a foul on Mane in the 13th minute, before the floodgates opened.
“I could almost write you a book about this player,” Thiaw said post-match.
“He does extraordinary things, he’s there for the group, has an impact, is the technical leader of this team.
“He really does things extraordinary, and he also helps us defensively. Sadio is really an example for all of African and world football.
“He’s always shown it that he’s someone – even outside [of Senegal] – who’s appreciated a lot. Daily, with him, you see what kind of person he is, and how he’s invested in this team. He gives everything for the flag of Senegal”, he added.
Habib Diarra, Ismaila Sarr, Pape Gueye (2) and Iliman Ndiaye all got on the scoresheet in the incredible win.
“I want to congratulate my team because we played the match we needed to”, Thiaw continued.
“It was important to us to win the match, and we’d hoped to. Scoring five goals is also something great, even though we were up against an Iraq team who posed problems for us in the first half.”
Senegal will now face Belgium in the Round of 32 in Seattle, with the match set to hold on July 1.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
