Ndiaye Off the Mark for Senegal After Ban
Iliman Ndiaye returned from a two-match suspension to score the winning goal in Senegal's 1-0 victory over Comoros on Sunday. The Manchester City forward struck in the fifth minute, slotting into an empty net after a rapid counter-attack.
The 26-year-old, who joined City from Everton this summer for £60 million, had missed Senegal's earlier AFCON qualifying fixtures against Mozambique and Ethiopia through suspension. His return was timely, and the goal was his sixth for his country.
Head coach Patrick Vieira named a heavily rotated side, but Ndiaye's early impact settled the contest. Pape Mate Sarr initiated the move, driving forward before Ibrahim Mbaye picked out Ndiaye's run. The winger still had work to do, but he finished calmly for his sixth international goal.
Ndiaye had a chance to double his tally in the 66th minute when Bara Sapoko Ndiaye found him unmarked inside the box with an inviting cross. He couldn't convert, but the evening belonged to him. It was his first homecoming in Marseille since leaving the club in 2024, and he marked it in style.
City's Need for Goals
Since completing his big-money move to the Etihad, Ndiaye has registered just one assist in seven appearances. That return is modest for a player of his pedigree, and City will hope the international break has sharpened his edge. His best figures in a single club season remain the 15 goals he scored for Sheffield United in 2022-23.
Enzo Maresca's side now face a punishing schedule: nine games in just 27 days. The manager will need his attacking players fit and firing, and Ndiaye's confidence boost comes at an opportune moment. If he can carry his Senegal form into club colours, City's attacking options look far more potent.