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Sadio Mane’s celebration after he scored the winning penalty against Egypt in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final was cold.
The Liverpool star, who had earlier missed from the spot during the game, came back strongly and converted Senegal's last penalty in the shootout – one that sealed a dramatic 4-2 win.
For all that had been said about Senegal’s lack of character in big games, Aliou Cisse's side turned up this time. They were the better team in a final where Egypt decided to just sit back and play on the counter.
And despite football's cutthroat nature, this time the more deserving team won. The Teranga Lions created several chances and should've wrapped up the game earlier.
Egypt, on the other hand, deployed a conservative approach and were aiming to take the game to penalties, as they had done in the semifinals against Cameroon.
This time, though, the Pharaohs weren't lucky as two of their players missed their kicks to hand the advantage to their West African opponents.
Senegal finally end wait for trophy
If you asked ten people who they thought would win the AFCON final after the game went to penalties, eight would likely have picked Egypt.
The Pharaohs came into the final on the back of two shootout victories in the knockout stage. They had also been winners in each of their last six shootouts in the tournament.
Such were the levels at which the odds were stacked against Senegal, who had lost in the final to Algeria in 2019. That, coupled with the penalty-saving expertise of Egyptian goalkeeper Gabaski, made Senegal the underdogs.
However, the Lions never panicked. Even when Mane missed a penalty after just seven minutes, he didn’t keep his head down or sulk. Rather, he rallied his teammates to keep pushing.
And they ultimately got their reward after 120 minutes of giving it their all. For a country that had lost two finals in the past, it felt like justice served after Senegal lifted the AFCON for the first time in their history.
Mane rewarded for perseverance
Following the game, Mane told the media that winning the AFCON superseded any other trophy he had won at club level, including the Premier League and the Champions League.
The statement may not have gone down well with some Liverpool fans, but the 29-year-old knew exactly what he was saying.
Senegal have always been regarded as one of the powerhouses of African football and have produced some of the best players in world football. Yet, the country had had nothing to show aside from reaching the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup in 2002.
The golden generation that had Aliou Cisse, now the national team's coach, and El Hadji Diouf won nothing. Mane's group were also gradually gravitating towards the 'always so close, yet so far' category of teams, until Sunday's final.
"I am very proud and I think it is the best moment of my life ever. This day I think it is the best day. I won the Champions League and some trophies but I think this is the special one for me, this is more important for me," a delighted Mane said, as quoted by Goal.
The Lions' AFCON triumph is a reward for Mane's perseverance in the face of heartbreak throughout his years in national colors. His winning penalty will be immortalized in the minds of his countrymen forever.
