Senegal need to be more serious - Mane

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane revealed the Senegal national team need to be more serious following their back-to-back draws with Congo and Eswatini.

Aliou Cisse’s men have already booked their place in the Africa Cup of Nations before facing the Red Devils and Dominic Kunene’s men.

The Teranga Lions were surprisingly held by Congo and Eswatini, who are ranked 153rd in the world and Mane has expressed his displeasure with the results.

“It was a very complicated game. It goes to show that in life you have to try to work seriously,” Mane told RTS.

“I think that's what Eswatini did today. Eswatini kept us in check, but these things can sometimes happen in football.

“Now we have to get back on track and put all the assets on our side to be able to win this kind of match to continue our progress.

“We should not lose with all the respect I have for Eswatini. Especially at home, if you lose this kind of games, you have to ask yourself questions. Fortunately, we did not lose.

“We are Senegal and we will try to continue to progress. However, it must be recognized that there are things to be resolved in this team.

“We hope that the coach and his staff will do it in the best possible way to be able to start qualifying for the World Cup, qualify and go for the Africa Cup of Nations.”

Mane has made 72 appearances for the West African country since making his debut in 2012 and played a key role as they finished as runner-up at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The forward will now be expected to shift his focus to Liverpool when he returns from international duty and help them continue in the winning ways when they take on Arsenal in a Premier League game on Saturday.

The 28-year-old has made 37appearances for the Reds in the current campaign, scoring 12 goals and providing six assists, amid other dazzling displays.

He has been with Liverpool since 2016 when he teamed up with the club from Southampton and has helped the side win a number of titles, including the Champions League, Premier League and FIFA Club World Cup diadems.