Africa Cup: Senegal champion, Egypt beaten on penalties

Salah had to be Mané’s opponent, but Senegal’s nemesis was goalkeeper Gabaski. The Lions of Teranga win their first Africa Cup of their history and do so at the end of a crackling match in the opening and closing stages, with a subdued development. At the start the Egypt goalkeeper saves a penalty to the Liverpool winger which, however, in the final lottery, transforms the penalty of the final 4-2 after the 0-0 of 120 minutes. Abdelmonem, Sarr and Lasheen make a mistake from the spot.

FRIENDS ENEMIES

–

Who knows when Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah will start laughing about it in Merseyside. Because the first episode that unites teammates at Liverpool in the Yaoundé match comes after six minutes and crumbs: the former Fiorentina and Roma tries to advise his goalkeeper on how to save the penalty from the Senegalese winger, who in response urges them to stop confabulating. Result: a rather central and promptly rejected penalty by Gabaski, officially the Egyptian hero of this African Cup. Galeotto was the contrast in the area between numbers 2: Mohamed Abdelmonem’s impetuous slide on Saliou Ciss and the referee’s finger pointing the spot. So Carlos Queiroz rejoices, absent on the bench for the expulsion of the semifinal, while Senegal misses the immediate advantage. However, the Pharaohs suffer a lot, surrounded by the game of the Lions of Teranga and, as always, supported by the gusts of Salah. The start of the match, in any case, is illusory: the tension is a lot, like the fear of uncovering, and the first half runs smoothly. Edouard Mendy and Gabaski close the shutter.

REVENGE

–

The second half opens with a couple of occasions in which the North African goalkeeper struggles with chaotic and rebounded actions, but otherwise the plot seems the same as seen in the first 45 minutes. Marwan Hamdi then threatens Mendy with a header as the only blast of a second half with the handbrake on. We then go to extra time, inaugurated by a nice low save by Gabaski on Bamba Dieng. The goalkeeper responds well even on a header crushed to the ground by the same number 15 and the personal contest is renewed five minutes from the end with a shot rejected to the great. Finally, it’s up to the Chelsea far defender to send a powerful shot for a corner, with the fate that is revealed again with penalties: Abdelmonem completes the horror evening by hitting the post, but Gabaski saves on Bouna Sarr. Finally, the decisive mistake is made by Mohanad Lasheen, Senegal champion of Africa for the first time in its history with the transformation of Mané.