Soccer Soccer – Saudi Pro League – Al Nassr – Al Khaleej – Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – November 4, 2023 Al Nassr’s Sadio Mane in action REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri/File Photo Obtaining licensing rights
CAPE TOWN, Nov 18 (Reuters) – Sadio Mane scored his 100th cap for Senegal with two goals as they kicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign with a comfortable 4-0 home win over South Sudan in Saturday.
There were also wins for South Africa, who beat Benin 2-1 at home in Durban, and Tanzania, who beat Niger 1-0 away.
Mane, a two-time African Footballer of the Year, set up the opening goal in the first minute for Pape Matar Sar and grabbed one of his own five minutes later, with veteran midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye providing the provider.
A third Senegal goal followed on the stroke of half-time in the Group B match in Dakar, as 19-year-old debutant Lamine Kamara stole the ball from the visitors’ defense on the edge of the penalty area and hammered home.
Mane, 31, who made his debut for Senegal in 2012, added the fourth from the penalty spot 12 minutes into the second half before being substituted after 63 minutes to stay fresh for the next qualifier in Togo on Tuesday.
Senegal are looking to qualify for a third successive World Cup and are the flamboyant side in the group, where the Democratic Republic of Congo should be their toughest opponent.
The winners of the nine qualifying group advance to the 2026 finals, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the USA
South Africa topped Group C after scoring early but made heavy work to secure victory over Benin.
Percy Tau put them in front in the second minute and Khuliso Mudau struck after poor Benin defending to make it 2-0 at half-time, but Steve Mounie produced an anxious finish for the hosts, who have not been to the World Cup since they hosted the 2010 tournament.
Australian striker Charles M’Mombois scored on his debut for Tanzania as they beat Niger in neutral Marrakech, Morocco in Group E.
He fired a deflected shot to boost his chances of being selected for January’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast.
Niger is among 19 African countries forced to move their domestic qualifiers to neutral venues due to poor facilities or security concerns.
Five more African qualifiers take place on Sunday with heavyweight contenders Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria facing tough away games.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.