Sadio Mane scored a hat-trick as Senegal began their qualifying campaign for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-1 win at home to 10-man Benin in their Group L match at the Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio on Saturday.
The reigning AFCON champions raced into a two-goal lead midway through the first half with Mane opening the scoring through a penalty in the 10th minute before doubling his tally 12 minutes later.
Benin midfielder Sessi D’Almeida was sent off six minutes into the second half and Mane added a third from the spot on the hour mark for a 3-0 lead.
Mane’s goals meant he became Senegal’s all-time leading scorer moving ahead of former Wigan forward Henri Camara who netted 29 times in 99 matches.
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Mane’s feat is more impressive as he broke the record in 90 matches compared to Camara’s tally in 99 matches.
Benin did manage to grab a consolation late in the game through substitute Junior Olaitan.
Elsewhere, former AFCON champions Algeria defeated Uganda 2-0 in Algiers in their Group F match. Aissa Mandi and Youcef Belaili scored in either half while Uganda had earlier failed to level the match with Farouk Miya missing a penalty in the 33rd minute.
Tanzania and Niger are joint-second in the group behind Algeria following a 1-1 draw in Cotonou.
In Group I, Shavy Babicka scored the only goal of the game as Gabon stunned Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 Kinshasa.
Mauritania, however, leads the group after a brace from Aboubakar Kamara led them to a 3-0 win against Sudan.
In Group G, El Bilal Toure scored twice as Mali thumped Republic of Congo 4-0 in Bamako while the other group match saw Gambia edge South Sudan 1-0.
In Group C, Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana scored late on and was then sent off as Burundi held Namibia to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg. Mamelodi Sundowns forward Peter Shalulile had given Namibia the lead in just the 10th minute.
(Story compiled with assistance from wire reports)
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