SADIO MANE GOAL SEALS SENEGAL’S SPOT IN AFCON FINAL
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
Sadio Mane netted the decisive goal in the 78th minute as Senegal secured a 1-0 win over Egypt in their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final on Wednesday in Tangiers.
Former champions Senegal controlled possession against a cautious Egypt side and will face either hosts Morocco or Nigeria in Sunday’s final.
The win continued Senegal’s recent dominance over Egypt, having defeated the Pharaohs in both the 2022 AFCON final and a 2022 World Cup play-off, with both victories decided by penalty shoot-outs.
Egypt captain Mohamed Salah was kept well in check by Senegal’s defence. Now in his fifth AFCON, Salah’s closest brush with a winners’ medal remains finishing as runner-up twice.
Veteran Senegal centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly received a yellow card in the 17th minute for a foul on Egypt striker Omar Marmoush.
It was Koulibaly’s second booking in as many matches, ruling him out of the final. The second semi-final is set to take place later on Wednesday.
Misfortune struck the 34-year-old Saudi Arabia-based defender again six minutes later when he picked up an injury and was replaced by Mamadou Sarr.
Senegal pushed forward more in a cautious first half but failed to seriously test 37-year-old Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
Nicolas Jackson’s effort went over the bar, and shortly after, teammate Pape Gueye fired a low, angled shot that lacked power and was comfortably saved.
Tensions flared on the benches as halftime approached, with heated verbal exchanges and some shoving prompting rival head coaches Pape Thiaw and Hossam Hassan to call for calm.
The referee intervened to speak with both coaches, restoring order in the dugouts.
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Egypt mounted their first real threat to the Senegal defence in stoppage time at the end of the first half, earning a free-kick near the touchline.
Salah’s set-piece delivery, however, slipped through a crowded penalty area and went out of play beyond the far post.
Both teams made changes at the start of the second half. Egypt brought on Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan for Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh, while Senegal replaced cautioned striker Habib Diallo with Lamine Camara.
As the match passed the hour mark, the first-half pattern persisted. Egypt were content to allow Senegal more possession, trusting their defence to neutralise any danger to goalkeeper El Shenawy.
With just 15 minutes of regular time left, Egypt had yet to register a shot on target or earn a corner.
Senegal’s sustained pressure finally paid off in the 78th minute when two-time African Player of the Year Sadio Mane scored. Camara’s ambitious long-range effort deflected to Mane, whose low strike beat El Shenawy and found the back of the net.
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