There are few crueler ways to leave a competition than by penalties.
Unfortunately for Sadio Mane and the Senegal national team, that's just what happened. Mane fluffed a crucial penalty that sent Cameroon on to the quarter finals of the African Cup of Nations.
The fifth and final penalty for Senegal was comfortably saved by Cameroon goalkeeper Joseph Ondoa, which left the door open for Vincent Aboubakar to take Cameroon through to the next stage of the competition, rocketing his penalty home.
Naturally being knocked out of an international competition is upsetting for any team and any player, but Mane was noticeably distressed and almost inconsolable, needing to be helped off the pitch and into the tunnel by his teammates.
https://twitter.com/nickames82/status/825462535491035136
https://twitter.com/david_767/status/825463947562213378
Some Liverpool fans shared in Mane's distress at his home nation's chances of AFCON glory being finally dashed. Others were positively over the moon with the result, despite Mane's evident emotional turmoil.
https://twitter.com/LFC/status/825461166197600258
https://twitter.com/benwebblfc/status/825462984034177024
https://twitter.com/MohitLFC_/status/825462128190554113
https://twitter.com/TheAnfieldTalk/status/825460098353004544
https://twitter.com/omQueue/status/825475000442482688
https://twitter.com/doubtliv/status/825474776827383808
https://twitter.com/AliaLiverpool/status/825474582052171777
It has been clear that Liverpool are suffering without Mane's presence, and some fans were thrilled at the prospect of the winger returning and possibly pulling the Reds out of their nosedive.
But it takes a heart of stone not to empathise with a man who gave his all representing his country and lost it all in one crucial moment.
