Star striker Mohamed Salah led Egypt’s national soccer team to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. In the 2-1 (1-1, 0-1) after extra time in the quarterfinals against Morocco, the protégé of the German team manager Jürgen Klopp was the decisive man on the pitch at the English top team FC Liverpool. In the last duel in the top eight, Senegal won 3-1 (1-0) against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday evening.
Record winner Egypt with Stuttgart’s Omar Marmoush in the starting line-up initially struggled. At the break, Salah and Co. were still behind against the Moroccans with Frankfurt midfielder Aymen Barkok due to an early goal by Sofiane Boufal (7th), before Salah forced extra time for the seven-time African champions just eight minutes after the break with his equalizing goal. There, the 29-year-old prepared Trezeguet’s winning goal in an exemplary manner.
Senegal took the lead in the evening with a goal from Famara Diedhiou (28th), Liverpool star Sadio Mane put on the goal. After Jannick Buyla equalized (57′), Cheikhou Kouyate (68′) put the favorite back in front before Ismaila Sarr (79′) put the finishing touch.
Bayern star in the quarterfinals only spectators
In the semi-finals, Egypt meet hosts Cameroon on Wednesday’s quest for their first Africa Cup of Nations triumph since 2010 in a repeat of the 2017 final. The “irresistible lions” had beaten Gambia 2-0 (0-0) the day before. In the second semi-final on Thursday, Senegal meets Burkina Faso, who made it into the top eight with Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba after beating Tunisia 1-0 (1-0).
In Cameroon’s quarter-final win against the side of Regionalliga keeper Baboucarr Gaye from RW Koblenz, striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting from German champions Bayern Munich was not used. Karl Toko Ekambi (50th/57th) scored the goals for the five-time title winner with a brace. For Burkina Faso, Dango Ouattara (45th + 3rd) sealed the end for the Tunisians around Ellyes Skhiri from Cologne.