SADIO Mane will be aiming to beat one Odion Ighalo record when Senegal face Burkina Faso in the first semi-final of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
The two West African sides go head-to-head in Yaounde, Cameroon on Wednesday night for a spot in the final, with Mane leading the line for Senegal.
According to Confederation of African Football statistics, Liverpool forward and Teranga Lions talisman Mane has scored seven goals from 27 shots at the AFCON since the start of 2017, with a shot conversion rate of 26 percent.
Only Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo (five goals from 12 shots, with a 42 percent conversion rate) has a better ratio than Mane among players to score four or more in that time.
If Mane could increase his conversion rate and score on Wednesday night, he would not only be matching or beating Ighalo’s record, he would be helping Senegal to beat Burkina Faso in the first AFCON knockout encounter between the two countries.
This will be the third overall AFCON clash between the Stallions and Teranga Lions, with Senegal unbeaten in the previous two matches in the group stages.
Burkina Faso will be playing in their fourth AFCON semi-final, having been eliminated in two of their previous three – last progressing to the final in 2013 (3-2 on penalties against Ghana).
They lost the 2013 final 1-0 to Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa.On their part, Senegal are seeking to reach their third AFCON final, and no team have played in more finals (two) without ever winning.
They could also become the first side to play in consecutive finals since Egypt in 2010, having won five of their last six knock-out matches in the competition – with their only defeat the 2019 final, against Algeria.
