Senegal’s Mane out of early World Cup games

Senegal forward Sadio Mane will miss the first games of the World Cup in Qatar due to injury, a Senegal soccer federation official was quoted as saying by local media on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old striker was named last week in Senegal’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, which starts on Sunday, despite sustaining an injury to his right fibula playing for Bayern Munich in the run-up to the tournament.

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said Mane, whose decisive penalties secured the Africa Cup of Nations title and World Cup qualification for his country this year, did not require surgery, but hopes of him lining up against the Netherlands on November 21 appear slim.

“We will have to rely on playing the first games without Sadio and win without Sadio because we have 25 players apart from Sadio,” official Abdoulaye Sow said.

“No-one would have wanted it, but that’s what’s happened to us.”

Senegal also face hosts Qatar on November 25 and Ecuador on November 29.

Germany’s defensive leader Antonio Ruediger and attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller will be fit for Germany’s opening match against Japan next week, coach Hansi Flick said on Tuesday.

Both players are nursing injuries as Germany prepare for their World Cup opener and did not train with the squad in Oman on Tuesday.

They will also miss the final warm-up match against Oman on Wednesday.

“Thomas Mueller has now had a bit of a break but trained well in Munich and will continue to do so here,” Flick told a news conference.

Reuters