Not for the first time in this tournament, the leading role was reserved for the referee. Bamlak Tessema Weyesa from Ethiopia pointed to the dot in the 29th minute when goalkeeper Hervé Koffi thought he punched the ball away with his fist, but he also hit Cheikhou Kouyate’s head, according to the referee. Weyesa knew immediately and gave a penalty, but after studying the images, he reversed his decision. Koffi had to leave the field injured not much later.
In the six minutes of stoppage time, another remarkable moment took place, again with the referee in the leading role. Nampalys Mendy shot on target at Mané’s pass, but hit defender Edmond Tapsoba’s body. The referee again pointed to the dot and thought about a handball, but just like twenty minutes before, he quickly came back to that.
In the seventieth minute, Senegal took the lead via Abdou Diallo. Six minutes later, Idrissa Gueye doubled the lead and the loot appeared, but then Burkina Faso did something back via Ibrahim Toure. It was not an exciting final phase: Mané made the decisive goal a few minutes before time by neatly pinning the ball into the goal and shot Senegal to the final.
In it, Senegal will take on the winner of Cameroon against Egypt next Sunday. They will be in action tomorrow night.
