JOHANNESBURG: Liverpool star Sadio Mane scored a penalty eight minutes into added time to give Senegal a dramatic 1-0 win over heart-broken Rwanda on Tuesday in 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
Forced to play a home match in Senegal because they do not have an international-standard stadium, Rwanda were on the verge of holding a team ranked 116 places higher in the world.
But Mane rescued the Teranga Lions on 98 minutes, with a hard, low penalty that eluded the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Olivier Kwizera.
Mane has starred in the first two matches for the title-holders, scoring four goals, including a matchday one hat-trick against Benin.
Despite the huge rankings gap, Senegal took no chances against the Rwandan Wasps, who have qualified for the Cup of Nations only once in 13 attempts.
Coach Aliou Cisse chose seven of the team that started the final victory over Egypt in Cameroon four months ago and introduced two more off the bench.
Mozambique, who began their campaign by drawing with Rwanda, could close the gap behind Senegal to two points by winning away to bottom team Benin on Wednesday.
In Group H, Kings Kangwa rifled a free-kick into the net on 88 minutes to give Zambia a vital 2-1 victory over the Comoros in Lusaka.
Former African champions Zambia achieved success the hard way, coming from behind in a fast-tempo, foul-riddled regional showdown.
Serbia-based Ben Nabouhane took advantage of two defensive mix-ups to fire the visitors into a 13th-minute lead at a packed National Heroes Stadium.
Constant Zambian pressure paid off in first half added-time when a corner was partly cleared and Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Enock Mwepu netted with a low shot through a crowd of players.
Comoros wasted several early second-half chances to get in front again and the misses came back to haunt them as Kangwa snatched a deserved victory.
Zambia needed maximum points after losing away to the Ivory Coast last Friday, the same day the Comoros won at home against Lesotho.
This group is the only one among 12 where the winners and runners-up do not qualify for the 24-nation tournament in June and July 2023.
The Ivory Coast qualify automatically as hosts, but are competing to gain competitive match practice rather than relying on friendly games.
This means only one team from Zambia, the Comoros and Lesotho will also go to the finals, and the Zambians are desperate to avoid failing to qualify for four straight Cup of Nations.
Burkina Faso, fourth at the Cup of Nations in Cameroon four months ago, have quickly taken control of Group B with maximum points from two matches while Cape Verde have three and Eswatini and Togo one each.
Dango Ouattara took his two-match tally to three goals with a brace as the Burkinabe stormed back after falling behind to beat Eswatini 3-1 in a virtually empty 95,000-seat Johannesburg stadium.
Eswatini had to play in neighboring South Africa because they do not have an international-standard stadium — an issue that also affected Cape Verde and Rwanda.
Cape Verde hosted Togo in Moroccan city Marrakech — nearly 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles) from their Atlantic island home — and won 2-0 with an added-time Jamiro Monteiro goal assuring victory.
Mane snatches dramatic victory for African champions Senegal
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Mane snatches dramatic victory for African champions Senegal
- Despite the huge rankings gap, Senegal took no chances against the Rwandan Wasps, who have qualified for the Cup of Nations only once in 13 attempts
Al-Hilal’s 13-game winning streak halted after draw with Al-Riyadh
- Al-Riyadh held the league leaders to a 1-1 draw thanks to an Ibrahim Bayesh equalizer
- Al-Qadsiah keep the pressure on with 3-1 victory over Al-Najma
RIYADH: Al-Hilal’s 13-game winning streak in the Saudi Pro League came to an end on Matchday 18 after a 1-1 draw with Al-Riyadh on Sunday.
Daniel Carreno, no stranger to Al-Hilal after leading city rivals Al-Nassr to the league title at their expense in 2014, set up his side impeccably as they denied the leaders a seven-point cushion at the summit.
Despite boasting the leakiest defence in the league, conceding 37 goals in 17 games, Al-Riyadh delivered arguably their best performance of the season against Simone Inzaghi’s side.
They proved tough to break down, with goal-line clearances from Yoann Barbet, last-ditch blocks from Marzouq Tambakti and a solid display from goalkeeper Milan Borjan keeping Al-Hilal at bay.
Around the 25th minute, Al-Riyadh began to grow into the game. However, it was at that moment that Al-Hilal struck, with Malcom breaking down the right flank before delivering a dipping ball to Darwin Nunez.
His touch fell kindly to Marcos Leonardo, who finished into an open net.
Al-Hilal then settled into control, although they lacked much of their usual ball-playing quality in the absence of Ruben Neves and Salem Al-Dawsari.
Malcom operated in a free-flowing role, popping up across the pitch, but despite his assist it was largely a frustrating half for the Brazilian.
Filling a dual role in Neves’s absence was Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
Alongside his attacking duties, charging from deep into the final third, the Serbian maestro was also tasked with dictating play from midfield.
With Al-Riyadh offering little going forward in the first half, Carreno shifted his relegation-threatened side’s approach after the break.
They became far more purposeful in possession, creating danger in the 58th minute. From a corner, Toze delivered a cross that found Ibrahim Bayesh, who bundled the ball over the line to equalize.
Minutes later, Inzaghi refreshed Al-Hilal’s attacking options with the introductions of Al-Dawsari and Kaio Cesar.
The Blues were left to rue a series of missed chances, with Al-Dawsari striking the post and Borjan producing a fine save to deny Darwin Nunez.
Al-Riyadh were handed a late scare in stoppage time when Tambakti was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for time-wasting.
Moments later, Al-Hilal thought they had found a winner when substitutes Cesar and Al-Dawsari combined in the box, only for the assistant referee to raise his flag for offside.
After the draw, Al-Hilal remain top but their lead has been cut to five points over nearest challengers Al-Ahli. Al-Riyadh stay in the relegation zone, now level on points with Damac in 15th.
Elsewhere, Al-Qadsiah held off a second-half Al-Najma resurgence to secure a 3-1 victory, with goals from Julian Quinones and Mateo Retegui steering them to all three points. Brendan Rodgers’ side move up to third temporarily, just six points behind Al-Hilal on 39 points.
Meanwhile, Al-Fayha and Al-Fateh met in Al-Majma’ah, where the hosts claimed a late 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Sabri Abu Dahal and Fashion Sakala.
Action resumes on Monday with the final three fixtures of Matchday 18. Al-Hazem face Damac, before Al-Ittihad welcome Al-Okhdood in Jeddah and Al-Nassr host Al-Taawoun in Riyadh.
