CAIRO: Senegal star Sadio Mane says helping Liverpool win the Champions League was special, but his “absolute dream” is parading the Africa Cup of Nations trophy through the streets of Dakar.
The west African team known as the Teranga Lions are two victories away from fulfilling the dream of their 27-year-old talisman, starting with a semifinal against Tunisia in Egypt Sunday.
“Going to Dakar with the trophy would be extraordinary,” said Mane, who shared the Premier League Golden Boot award last season with fellow Africans Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
“My absolute dream is to help Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations — that would surpass even what I achieved with Liverpool in the Champions League.
“We have to accept being among the favorites and many people are assuming we will play Algeria in the final,” said the scorer of three goals so far in the tournament.
“All four semifinalists are quality sides and all can go on and win this competition. The champions will be the team that wants the trophy the most.”
Three hours after Senegal and Tunisia kick off in the expected mid-afternoon Cairo heat, Algeria face Nigeria 15 km away in the other semifinal.
Algeria and Senegal are wary favorites given the number of shocks in the knockout phase of the premier African competition.
BACKGROUND
Algeria have won only two of six semifinals in the biennial African competition, Tunisia two of five and Senegal one of three.
The top two ranked countries in Africa, with Senegal first, are back in the semifinals after lengthy absences.
It is the first time the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia have qualified for the penultimate stage since hosting and winning the 2004 edition.
Senegal lost narrowly to hosts Egypt two years later, and that was the last time they featured in a Cup of Nations semifinal.
The Senegalese have impressed more than the Tunisians en route to the last four with Napoli center-back Kalidou Koulibaly and Mane playing leading roles in a four win-one loss run.
Tunisia drew four consecutive matches before taking advantage of jaded giantkillers Madagascar to win 3-0 with captain Youssef Msakni among the goals.
An eight-match Cup of Nations rivalry dating from the 1980 final won convincingly by hosts Nigeria continues with Algeria the slightest of favorites to reach the final.