Mamadou Niang has revealed the crucial conversation he had with Sadio Mane that prevented the Africa Cup of Nations final from descending into chaos. He recently had his say while speaking to the press, and fans have been reacting.
According to him, he simply urged his compatriot to ensure the team finished the game like men before their eventual dramatic victory, especially because it was his last AFCON tournament.
Niang added that staying on the pitch was the only viable option for the team because it was the right thing to do.
His words, “When the players started to leave the field, he had a look of doubt, he didn’t understand what was happening. At that moment, I am close to the touchline. He looks at me and says: ‘Mamad, what do I do?’
I wanted to tell him that he had the answer inside him. But he just wanted to have support. I told him very quickly: ‘You must not leave the pitch, we see everything that is happening, I can understand that there is anger, frustration but you have to finish this match, it is perhaps your last AFCON and you cannot go out like that. If we have to lose, we will lose, but not like that, we will lose like men’.”
WOW.
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