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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Darragh Culhane

Sky Sports viewers say Roberto Lopes had Sadio Mane 'in his back pocket' before abrupt substitution

Sky viewers were full of praise for Shamrock Rovers star Roberto Lopes as he faced off with Liverpool forward Sadio Mane.

Lopes is currently representing Cape Verde at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and his side were drawn against Senegal in the Last 16.

And it gave Lopes a unique opportunity to face off against one of the best in the world in the form of Mane and impressed as he played the first 45 minutes of the game.

The 29-year-old was among a number of Cape Verde players that were affected by food poisoning in the build up to the game and the Shamrock Rovers star certainly showed no ill effects in the first half as he went toe to toe with the Liverpool forward on multiple occasions and came out on top.

And Lopes and his side were up against it when Patrick Andrade was sent off in the 21st minute.

But Lopes and Cape Verde hung tight until half time with the score line at 0-0.

However, footage at the half showed Lopes struggling in the tunnel in what may have been linked to his food poisoning and was forced off at the break.

But Lopes certainly caught the attention of viewers with one saying he had Mane 'in his back pocket.'

While another said: "And now it's Pico Lopes who stops like a real stopper Mané.. Marvelous stop,full of cold blood & calm!"

It wasn't to be a fairytale ending however for Cape Verde as a Vozinha red card saw them down to nine men before Mane himself opened the scoring and a late second goal secured Senegal's place in the quarter finals of the competition.

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