Tournament favourite Senegal needed an added time penalty from Sadio Mane to beat a resolution Zimbabwean team
By Kehinde Okeowo
Liverpool striker, Sadio Mane scored a penalty seven minutes into added time to deny Zimbabwe a deserved draw, as The Teranga Lions open their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a narrow 1-0 win on Monday.
Zimbabwe did not merit to be on the losing side after making one of the tournament favourites look distinctly ordinary in Bafoussam.
Kelvin Madzongwe was judged in the 4th minute of stoppage time to have handled the ball as he turned his back on a strike from substitute Pape Gueye by the referee.
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Mane sent Zimbabwean goalkeeper Petros Mhari the wrong way and drilled the penalty into the left corner from the resultant penalty to give Senegal an underserved 1-0 lead.
Senegal played without Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and captain Kalidou Koulibaly, who were among the 11 players ruled out for the game after testing positive for the coronavirus.
The best opportunity fell to Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Gana Gueye shortly before half-time but his touch let him down as he could not control an easy pass from Mane with the goal at his mercy.
Zimbabwe goalkeeper Petros Mhari had earlier denied Sadio Mane a goal scoring opportunity when he shot straight at the keeper, who impressed through the encounter.