Dakar — Led by a stunning goal from Sadio Mané, Senegal secured their fourth appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations final. The Lions defeated Egypt 1-0 on January 14th at the Grand Stade de Tanger, in the semi-final of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
From the outset, the two teams cancelled each other out in a tight and hard-fought match. Senegal, slightly more enterprising than their opponents, gradually tried to take control of the game. However, against a well-organized and resolutely defensive Egyptian side, the Lions' initial efforts came to nothing.
The match began cautiously, with few clear-cut chances for either side. Gradually, however, Senegal managed to gain control of the ball and impose their rhythm. In the 5th minute, Nicolas Jackson won a free kick after a foul by Hossam. Krépin Diatta's attempt was saved by Hamdy Fathy, conceding a corner. From the resulting corner, taken by El Hadji Malick Diouf, Habib Diarra met the ball at the edge of the box, but his shot went over Mohamed El Shenawy's goal.
The match then took a turn for the worse with a difficult moment for the Lions. After receiving a yellow card, Kalidou Koulibaly was injured and forced to leave the field in the 22nd minute. A major blow for Senegal, deprived of their captain, already suspended for the final due to a booking received in the previous match. He was replaced by Mamadou Sarr, who delivered a solid performance until the final whistle.
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In the 40th minute, a hard tackle by Mohamed Salah on Sadio Mané sparked a scuffle between the two benches. Fortunately, the situation was quickly brought under control thanks to the composure of the two coaches, who know each other well.
In the second half, the introduction of Lamine Camara injected more dynamism into the Senegalese midfield. Against a struggling Pharaoh's side, outmuscled in the tackle, the high press imposed by the Lions put the Egyptian defense under constant pressure.
After dominating possession, the Senegalese were finally rewarded. In the 78th minute, Sadio Mané opened the scoring with a decisive run, sending the nation into raptures. The goal erupted the Senegalese fans and gave the Lions the lead in what had been a closely contested match.
Statistics confirm Senegal's clear dominance. Despite several late attempts and an attacking tactical choice by the Egyptian coach, who replaced a defender with a striker, Egypt failed to equalize. The Lions' power and intensity ultimately prevailed over the Pharaohs' experience.
Sadio Mané delivered a phenomenal performance, once again demonstrating his leadership by scoring the decisive goal. Deservedly, he was awarded the Man of the Match trophy at the final whistle.
Finally, it is worth highlighting the historic nature of this qualification: for the first time, a local coach has managed to lead Senegal to the final. This unprecedented achievement marks a significant chapter in the history of Senegalese football.
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