The Senegalese national team, nicknamed the "Lions of Teranga," began their campaign in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco, with a resounding and well-deserved 3-0 victory over Botswana. The match, played on Tuesday evening, saw a notable and impactful performance from the three Saudi Professional League players in the Senegalese squad: Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), and Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli).
The importance of the match and the general context
This match is part of the first round of the continental tournament, where the Senegalese national team seeks to reaffirm its African dominance and compete strongly for the title, especially after the significant improvement in the performance of its professional players. This victory carries important implications, as it puts Senegal at the top of its group early on, ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo on goal difference, sending a strong message to its rivals about the Lions' readiness.
The performance of the three professionals in Saudi Arabia also reflects the high technical value of the Roshan League, and its positive impact on the readiness of international players for major continental competitions.
Analysis of the Roshen Trio's performance in numbers
The global sports statistics platform "SofaScore" accurately tracked the performance of the trio, which was as follows:
1. Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal's defensive rock)
The captain of the defense delivered a solid performance, earning a rating of 7.4 . He played the full 90 minutes and was an impenetrable barrier against the opposition's attacks. Koulibaly's standout performance included the following:
- Defensive solidity: He succeeded in recovering the ball 9 times, and cleared the ball from the danger zone 4 times.
- Physical superiority: He won 5 out of 8 ground duels and dominated the air by winning 4 out of 5 aerial duels.
- Building the play: He made 59 passes, 52 of which were correct, with an accuracy rate of 88%, which shows his role in bringing the ball out from the back.
2. Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr's attacking engine)
Despite being substituted after 78 minutes, Mane was a constant threat in attack and earned a rating of 6.9 . His statistics reflected his strong desire to both score and create plays.
- Offensive threat: He took 9 shots, 6 of which were on target, putting constant pressure on the Botswana goalkeeper.
- Creating opportunities: He created two real scoring opportunities for his colleagues.
- Accuracy: His passes were characterized by very high accuracy, reaching 96% (25 correct passes out of 26).
3. Edward Mendy (Al Ahly's goalkeeper)
Al Ahly's goalkeeper contributed to his team keeping a clean sheet and received a rating of 6.7 . His performance was characterized by composure and confidence.
- Participation in play: He did not only make saves, but also participated in building attacks with 26 passes, 24 of which were correct with an excellent accuracy rate for goalkeepers (92%).
- Long balls: He played 4 long balls, and succeeded in delivering two of them to his teammates accurately.
With this performance, the stars of the Roshan League confirm that they are essential and indispensable pillars of the Senegalese squad, and that their presence in the Saudi League has maintained their high competitive level.
