AFCON 2025: Mane overtakes Salah, Drogba and Eto'o with record-breaking decisive goal

Senegal's hero in Wednesday's AFCON 2025 semi-final, Sadio Mane took the opportunity to surpass his opponent Mohamed Salah, as well as legends Samuel Eto'o and Didier Drogba.

Tireless Sadio Mane. The Senegal talisman once again led the Lions to victory on Wednesday at the Grand Stade de Tanger in Morocco. A win that means qualification for the AFCON 2025 final, which will be played next Sunday in Rabat.

Against a defensive Egyptian side, the 33-year-old winger broke the deadlock in the 78th minute with a lightning-quick control and strike that beat goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy to his right.

Mane, most decisive player at AFCON ahead of Eto'o, Salah and Drogba

© Imago / Thor Wegner DeFodi Images

The Al-Nassr forward has now taken his tally to two goals in the competition and five goal contributions in total, having already registered three assists. Since 2017, he has reached 20 contributions. A record for an AFCON player in the 21st century.

No other active player comes close. Egypt's Mohamed Salah, with whom he has probably shared his last AFCON head-to-head, trails by eight contributions (12). Not even legends Samuel Eto'o (18 with Cameroon) or Didier Drogba, stuck on 11 contributions with Ivory Coast, can match him.

Furthermore, the Senegalese has become the player with the most AFCON appearances as a starter, level with Ivorian Kolo Toure (28 appearances). Next Sunday, he is expected to become the sole holder of this record.

This article was originally published on Afrikfoot.