Sadio Mane admitted Senegal were fortunate after knocking Sudan out, saying his side “escaped punishment” despite progressing at their rivals’ expense.
Speaking after the match, Mane stressed that Senegal did not deliver their best level and were made to suffer at different moments, but managed to get the job done when it mattered.
“We escaped punishment,” Mane said, pointing to the chances Sudan created and the pressure they applied, especially as the game became tense.
Mane also praised Sudan’s performance and competitiveness, noting that their display was good enough to cause real problems and that they were close to taking the match in another direction.
He added that Senegal must learn from what happened, improve in the next stage, and avoid giving opponents similar opportunities again.
Sudan’s elimination ends their campaign, while Senegal move on with Mane calling for greater focus and a stronger showing in the matches ahead.
