Liverpool's Sadio Mane equals Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba's Champions League record

Gbenga Adewoye

Liverpool's Sadio Mane equals Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba's Champions League record image

Liverpool star Sadio Mane has equalled Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba's record as third African player to score 10 or more goals in the knockout round of the Uefa Champions League.

The 26-year-old's opener at the Estadio do Dragao took his tally to 10 goals in the knockout round of the elite European tournament as Jurgen Klopp's men eased to a 4-1 win over Porto on Wednesday night.

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The strike ranked him as the third African player to hit the double-figure after Drogba and Eto’o with 10 and 14 goals respectively.

Drogba achieved the feat while playing for Chelsea and Galatasaray while Eto’o's imposing performances for Barcelona, Inter Milan and the Blues saw him clinch the record.

Later in the encounter, Mohamed Salah doubled the Reds' lead in the 65th minute before Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk rounded up the result for a 6-1 aggregate win.

The goals from the Senegal and Egypt internationals also draw them level with Liverpool legend Ian Rush as the club's joint second highest Champions League goalscorer with 14 goals, seven behind Steven Gerrard's 21 goals.

The African stars will hope to continue their imperious form against Cardiff City on Sunday to help Liverpool bolster their chances of winning their maiden Premier League title.

On the international scene, Mane’s Senegal are drawn in Group C for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The Teranga Lions will commence their campaign against Tanzania on June 23 before meeting Algeria and Kenya days later.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah's Egypt, host of this year's Afcon, have been paired against Zimbabwe, DR Congo and Uganda in Group A.

And they take on Zimbabwe for their opening game at the Cairo International Stadium on June 21.

Gbenga Adewoye