Africa Cup of Nations: Mane Can Make the Difference!

Senegal vs Algeria

Two of the AFCON 2019 favourites come face to face at the Air Defence Stadium on Thursday in a clash which will go a long way to decide the outcome of Group C.

AFCON Senegal vs Algeria is one of the ties we’ve been looking forward to, both have won their opening fixture and each has a big Premier League star. Liverpool’s Sadio Mane will line up for Senegal against Riyad Mahrez in the Algeria team. With Champions League and Premier League medals to show for their seasons, both players are on the crest of a wave.

The Senegal vs Algeria betting odds point to a great contest and, while both teams will expect to qualify for the knockout stages, winning this will give the victors the momentum they need to go deep into the competition.

Talking Points

Sadio’s super season

Egypt’s Mo Salah took the plaudits for Liverpool in the 2017/2018 season, but last term it was the turn of his strike partner Sadio Mane to take a share of the Golden Boot, with 22 goals from 36 appearances. Alongside Salah and Brazil’s Roberto Firmino, Mane is in one of the most feared strike forces in world football as they won the Champions League in superb style. His electrifying pace and ability to score with either foot and his head helped him to carry Liverpool through Salah’s quiet patch last season and, after being suspended for Senegal’s opening 2-0 win over Tanzania, he’ll be desperate to make a big impact in this game.

Mane also has a ghost to lay. Senegal was widely tipped to go all the way in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, but they lost a quarter-final penalty shoot-out to eventual champions Cameroon, with the Liverpool man missing his kick. He was distraught at the time, and the memory of that disappointment will be enough to fire him up this time around.

Keita Baldé helped Senegal beat Tanzania in Africa Cup of Nations — Senegal’s Keita Balde scores their first goal

Inter Milan striker Keita and Club Brugges midfield star Krepin Diatta were on target in Senegal’s opener, which was a fairly comfortable win, but the Lions of Terenga will be abundantly clear that Algeria presents a much tougher challenge.

Napoli centre back Kalidou Koulibaly will be a big presence at the back for Senegal and with big players at either end of the pitch they are genuine contenders.

Mahrez can be magic

If Senegal has a world star in its ranks then the Desert Foxes too have a talisman capable of winning a game with a moment of genius. Riyad Mahrez is a mercurial talent which has lit up the English game over the past four seasons. The tricky wide man was a key part of Manchester City’s side in one of the best Premier League title races in living memory.

Before arriving at the Etihad in a big money deal Mahrez was one of the main reasons Leicester City stunned the football world by winning the Premier League in 2016, teaming up with Jamie Vardy to devastating effect. And he got off to the perfect start in this competition with a goal in Algeria’s opening fixture against Kenya. Baghdad Bounedjah opened the scoring with a well-taken penalty before Mahrez made his mark with a deflected effort just before the break.

The Manchester City man was a constant threat and will cause problems for Senegal if they give him too much space.

Riyad Mahrez scored as Algeria moved level with Senegal at the top of Africa Cup of Nations Group C — Algerian players celebrate after the African Cup of Nations group C soccer match against Kenya

History

The head to head Senegal vs Algeria results will give some confidence to Djamel Belmadi’s team. Algeria has won 12 of the 21 meetings with five drawn. All four of Senegal’s wins came in a consecutive run between 2001 and 2008.

2002 was a big year for the Lions of Terenga making the quarterfinals of the World Cup and the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Desert Foxes have gone one better, winning the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in 1990, while they made the Round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup.

Betting Tip

	Senegal vs Algeria	Senegal 1×2 @2.10
	June 28, 01:00(GMT+8)

We reckon Senegal is one of the teams capable of winning this tournament and will be disappointed if they don’t at least reach the last four. Algeria is a decent outside bet, but it’s almost a decade since they last made an impact on the competition, having failed to get out of their group in 2017.

Both teams should make the next phase, but I think Senegal has the quality to finish the first part of the job on Thursday.

The very latest SBOBET odds have all three results in play, so keep watching and enjoy the game.