Mane Dedicates Senegal’s AFCON Triumph To Head Coach Cisse

The Teranga Lions won their first ever AFCON at Cameroon’s Olembe Stadium after defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties.

The game ended 0-0 in regulation time, with Mane missing an early first half penalty and extra time was still not enough to separate the two sides.

Mane made amends by swiftly dispatching the decisive spot kick after Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved from Mohanad Lasheen.

Cisse was part of the Senegal side that lost the 2002 AFCON final on penalties to Cameroon and he has been in charge of his country since 2015.

"I know that the Senegalese people have suffered a lot but I dedicate this trophy to Aliou Cisse," Mane told reporters, having noted the criticism of the Lions of Teranga boss in the lead-up to the game. "If you knew what he did for the team."

"When I missed the penalty first I thought of Aliou Cisse.. When I scored the last penalty, I immediately thought of Aliou Cisse."

Cisse added: "It really proves the mental strength of this generation. We're African champions.

"It's been long, it's been hard, and there have been complicated moments, but we never gave up.

"This was a hard match too; we missed the penalty, and there were other chances we weren't able to take, but the boys never abandoned the task.

"We are very happy to dedicate the victory to the Senegalese people because from independence until now we have been chasing this first win in this competition."

Senegal and Egypt will do battle once again over two legs next month for a place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.