Sadio Mane unhappy with poor pitch for Madagascar match

by Staff Reporter

Monday Mar 25, 2019. 09:15

Senegal forward Sadio Mane has bemoaned the state of the pitch at Stade Lat Dior in Thies following their 2-0 win over Madagascar on Saturday night.

The Teranga Lions defeated the islanders thanks to a brace from Mbaye Niang, ensuring that they ended the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign unbeaten.

Both they and Madagascar advanced into the 24-team field for the AFCON finals, following the completion of the qualifiers this past weekend.

Despite the result, Mane was highly critical of the state of the playing surface, arguing that it did not reflect Senegal’s status as one of the continent’s top football nations.

"We are happy with the result, even if it is not our best match but the main thing was to win, to take the three points,” Mane told WiwSport.

“Now, we are the leaders of the group and I think that was the most important (thing). The state of the field was not really good, a country like Senegal, we must try to improve the football fields so that we can flourish.”

Senegal will go to the Nations Cup finals in Egypt as one of the favourites to claim the title (even though they have never won an AFCON) while Madagascar will make their debut at the tournament.