Former Ghana and Nigeria internationals, Asamoah Gyan and Jay Jay Okocha have disclosed what Sadio Mane told Egypt goalkeeper Gabaski before taking the spot kick awarded Senegal in the 7th minute of 2021 AFCON final on Sunday.
Mane saw his penalty saved by Gabaski but the Liverpool forward held his nerve when he returned in the shootout.
Prior to Mane's spot kick, his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah stepped forward and said something to the Egypt goalkeeper, who had already saved four penalties at the tournament.
Gyan said on Supersports, "I think psychologically that didn’t help him [Mane] because Salah went to his goalkeeper definitely and was telling him, ‘I know where he places his penalty’.
"And he was far away, he shouldn’t have come there telling the goalkeeper ‘I’m putting it there.’ By doing that he put himself in doubt psychologically and I think there was the situation. Mind you that the goalkeeper of Egypt has been so good with penalty shootout. He did what he had to do to save his team."
Okocha added, "You don’t get involved when it comes to situations like that."
"You stay focused and choose your side, choose your target. I don’t know why he got involved there. It was obvious that he was nervous."