Despite a generally poor season, Al-Nassr and Sadio Mané have managed to qualify for the Saudi Arabian King’s Cup of Champions.
The Senegal international and his team beat Khaleej 3-1 in the semi-finals yesterday. The 2021 African Cup of Nations winner scored his team’s second goal by converting a penalty, which Cristiano Ronaldo let him kick, and he was the main architect of this qualification with a brace.
Since arriving in Saudi Arabia last summer, Mané has scored in each of the four Copa del Rey matches he has played. He has 18 goals and 9 assists in 40 games in all competitions this season.
Beaten by Al-Hilal in the league title race, knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League by Al-Ain and then recently in the semi-finals of the Saudi Arabian Supercup by Al-Hilal, his team will be looking to salvage their season in the final. It will be against the untouchable Al-Hilal of his compatriot Kalidou Koulibaly, who defeated Al-Ittihad (2-1) the previous day in the other semi-final.
