Tuesday, December 23
*DR Congo vs Benin – 3:30pm
*Senegal vs Botswana – 6pm
Group C
*Nigeria vs Tanzania – 8:30pm
*Tunisia vs Uganda – 11pm
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco might be the last one for Sadio Mane, one of the continent’s most iconic stars.
Mane, 33, is expected to call it quits after next year’s FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Canada and USA.
Despite the enormous talent in the past, including the historical 2002 team that reached the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, the AFCON had proved elusive for the West African nation.
Until in 2021, when Senegal finally were crowned African kings after beating Egypt in shootouts in a final at Olembe stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Mane who scored the decisive kick in the final, was later named the most valuable player of the tournament.
And as he starts what is expected to be his last AFCON campaign on Tuesday in a clash against Botswana, Mane will be hoping to deliver the second ever title to the Lions of Teranga.
The two-time African player of the year will as well hope to add to his goal tally – 51 in 119 matches, the country’s leading scorer.
Henri Camara (29), Eli Hadji Diouf (24), Mamadou Niang (20l and Jules Bocande (20) trail a distance.
The former Liverpool star is nolonger at his best as he was before leaving the merseyside club – where he won the premier league and champions league under Jurgen Klopp.
But his eye for goal, scoring 12 in 38 matches at Bayern before a move to Al Nasr in Saudi Arabia, has never been in doubt.
With Nicholas Jackson (Bayern), Ibrahim Mbaye (PSG), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace), Boulaye Dia (Lazio), Habib Diallo (Metz) among others, Mane has many to lift part of the scoring burden.
There is a lot of talent across the pitch as well, including a star-studded midfield that has Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur) and Pape Gueye (Villarreal), not to mention Lamine Camara (Monaco).
Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal) provides defensive solidity alongside Krépin Diatta (Monaco) while Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli) in goal brings rich experience in goal if selected.
Coach Pape Thiaw, who was part of the iconic 2002 World Cup squad, will hope to follow into the footsteps of former teammate Aliou Cisse who won this title in 2021, but he has to do it without Assane Diao who was injured in Como’s Serie A match against AS Roma and defender Ilay Camara