The Morning Call

Senegal star Mané to miss World Cup

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Senegal forward Sadio Mané has been ruled out of the World Cup after undergoing surgery for his leg injury, Bayern Munich and the Senegalese soccer federation announced Thursday. Bayern said the 30-year-old star had an operation Thursday to reattach a tendon to the head of his right fibula bone, treating an injury he sustained playing for Bayern on Nov. 8. Senegal, the reigning African champion, had hoped that Mané, a two-time African player of the year, could return at some point during the tournament. Most of Senegal’s squad arrived in Qatar for the World Cup on Sunday. The team’s first game in Qatar is against the Netherland­s on Monday. Senegal plays host Qatar four days after it faces the Netherland­s. Its final game in Group A is against Ecuador on Nov. 29. Senegal won its first major title at the African Cup in February, when Mané scored the winning penalty in a shootout to beat Egypt in the final. Mané also scored the winning penalty in a playoff that sealed a place for Senegal in Qatar. Senegal — with Mané — was rated by many as the best African team to ever go to a World Cup.

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