- A goal from the Liverpool footballer, who could not finish the match, was the only positive thing in a match in which the lions played against a rival with 9 footballers for more than half an hour
Senegal , one of the favorites to win this African Cup , did not show their best version to get rid of Cape Verde in the round of 16 (2-0).
In fact, few positive conclusions could be drawn from the duel. Senegal played more than half an hour with two more players on the pitch after Andrade (21′) and Vozinha (57′) were sent off and, even with those, they were hardly able to generate dangerous chances, with a packed game of hasty decisions in the last quarter of the field.
The lions, despite having several cracks, are commanded by Mané and that was clear at the minute, when the winger crashed a shot against the wood that served as a warning to Cape Verde , who set off the alarms and began to defend better. Even with one less, because a terrible tackle by Andrade on Gueye left them with one less very soon.
After a first half of few occasions, a fortuitous action was the one that tipped the balance. Mendy made an impressive long serve on Mané’s run and he touched the ball with his head before Vozinha, who hit Liverpool with his head . Silence fell at the Stade Kouekong, fearing the worst with both dizzy, although the worst unemployed was the Cape Verde goalkeeper who, in addition to significant dizziness for which he had to be removed on a stretcher, saw the red card as he was the last man.
Already with two more players, Senegal overturned and after two warnings, the goal came. Mané , already recovered, picked up a past corner kick and nailed it for the same square. A goal that was also controversial, because Cape Verde claimed a previous foul that the referee, who went to VAR to see it, decided not to point out (63′). Of course, the bad news came later, when the attacker also had to withdraw due to the previous blow with the rival goal.
Cape Verde’s mission in attack was already impossible, but at least they resisted in defense, until Dieng made the sentence in added time (92′).
