The AFCON is well underway and we have already borne witness to some really good games and some really good performances. Let’s have a look at how Liverpool players performed on their 1st Matchday in AFCON.
While many Liverpool fans were sad to see their stars go away midseason to represent their country, we do want to see them excel.
Playing for your country at the biggest stage is an honour of an unexplainable degree. For some, this is as big as it gets. A lot of players take a lot of pride in representing their country.
So let’s take a look at how the three Liverpool stars have performed so far in the AFCON.
Liverpool players at the AFCON
Mohammed Salah
Liverpool hero Salah‘s Egypt had a forgetful start to this year’s AFCON. Playing against the three-time winners Nigeria, Egypt was below-par and deserved to lose 1-0.
Mohammed Salah, whose contract talk has been the talk of the town, also had a game to forget. He struggled to get into the game and failed to have a real impact on the pitch. The 29-year-old Egyptian did have one golden opportunity when he went through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, he had his shot saved.
Salah also played in the centre-forward position for his country, a position he is not used to playing at.
A goal from Leicester man Kelechi Ihenacho earned the Suger Eagles a well deserved 1-0 lead.
Salah also touched the ball only 14 times, highlighting his inability to get into the game.
We hope Mohammed Salah, who talked about his desire to win something with Egypt, can improve on this performance.
Sadio Mane
Unlike his Liverpool teammate Salah, Sadio Mane kicked off his AFCON with a 1-0 win over Zimbabwe. The Liverpool star converted a penalty seven minutes into stoppage time to win the game from the last kick of the match.
Playing for one of the tournament’s favourites, Senegal, Sadio Mane turned out to be the difference-maker. The Senegalese team only had eighteen players available for the game, due to a covid-outbreak.
Even though Senegal kept a majority possession of the ball and had more opportunities, their performance was only lukewarm.
Mane created 5 chances in the game, the highest by any player. Coincidentally, he was also the most fouled player on the pitch (4 times).
Already termed as one of AFCON’s strongest teams, can Senegal win the cup?
Naby Keita
Like Mane, Keita’s Guinea also started their AFCON with a 1-0 win. Playing against Malawi, Guinea scored in the first half via defender Sylla. Malawi only had 13 players available due to a Covid outbreak.
Naby Keita had a very average game, taking one shot and creating only one chance.
