Senegal's Camara exalts Algeria after Man of the Match award

Senegal teenage sensation Mamadou Lamine Camara claimed a third TotalEnergies Man of the Match on Saturday following their victory over hosts Algeria.

The youngster was pivotal as his country's won the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) final match against the Desert Foxes but lauded the efforts of their opponents.

The individual trophy added to the CHAN trophy clinched by the Teranga Lions in the entertaining Saturday night finale at the Nelson Mandela stadium.

The Teranga Lions needed penalties which ended 5-4 to record their first success in the competition after a goalless 120 minutes.

Camara, 19, scored one of his country's penalties and his all-round game convinced the Technical Study Group (TSG) to hand him another man of the match trophy.

The attacker insists they earned the reward for their patience throughout the competition in the north African country.

"The match was very difficult. Algeria had a very good performance and team tonight but we were patient and gave our all to win," Camara stated.

Camara won the most man of the match trophies in the competition but wanted more from the event.

"It is the third time I win this trophy, it touches my heart though I will have loved to be the best player of the competition."

Scorer of two goals across the competition and TotalEnergies 'man of the match' against Cote D'Ivoire, Madagascar and Algeria, the midfielder is certainly one of the new African stars of this competition.

Camara featured in all six matches for coach Thiaw's men as they completed a continental double, a year after they won the AFCON title in Cameroon.

The Generation Foot man kept a good work ethic throughout the competition, lasting the duration in the final.

Generation Foot has produced some top talents in football these days including the current CAF African Player of the Year Sadio Mane, captain Kalidou Koulibaly, Ismaila Sarr, Papiss Cisse, Bouna Sarr, Pape Matar Sarr and Habib Diallo.

Five of the aforementioned players were part of the Teranga Lions side that won the country’s first Africa Cup of Nations title in February last year.

Senegal has won the AFCON, Beach Soccer and Lamine Camara inspired them to become the fifth CHAN winners during the seventh edition in Algeria.